A Comparative Study on the Benefits of Pre-relocation to Higher Ground Based on Reconstruction Project Data for Areas Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, when many coastal residential districts were washed away by the tsunami, there has been growing interest in moving to higher ground in advance. However, few cities moved because the effects of pre-relocation are difficult to see. In this comparative study, we calculated the cost-effectiveness of relocating in advance for Rikuzentakata City, Onagawa Town, Higashi Matsushima City, and Ishinomaki City. The results showed that the greater the advance relocation, the greater the damage mitigation effect. It can be implemented with an expenditure of about 20 million yen per resident household.