A Study on the Benefits of Relocation to Higher Ground in Advance in the Central District of Rikuzentakata City Based on the Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction Projects

Abstract

The number of housing relocation cases happening in advance to a predicted huge tsunami caused by the Nankai Trough Earthquake are increasing year by year. However, it is difficult to proceed due to the costs incurred from relocation, land securitization, and the consensus of building among residents. Focusing on Rikuzentakata city, which underwent a massive residential relocation to higher grounds after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, this paper estimates the cost for the advanced relocation of housing and public facilities based on the actual reconstruction projects in the city. As a result, relocation costs could have been reduced from 25% to 40% with the relocation scheme proposed in this study.