Remains of Girl Returned to Family 14 Years after Tsunami

Minamisanriku, Miyagi Pref., Oct. 17 (Jiji Press)–The remains of a six-year-old girl who was washed away by the March 2011 tsunami have been returned to her family. The girl, Natsuse Yamane, went missing after the tsunami, unleashed by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, hit the family’s home in the town of Yamada, Iwate Prefecture, where she was with her grandmother, who was rescued. In February 2023, a construction worker found human bone fragments in a coastal area of the town of Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, more than 100 kilometers south of Yamada. After analyzing the lower jawbone fragments’ DNA and protein, the Miyagi Prefectural Police announced on Oct. 9 that they were identified as the remains of Yamane. An urn containing the remains was handed over to her mother, Chiyumi, 49, at Minamisanriku Police Station by its chief on Thursday. She tightly held the urn with watery eyes while Yamane’s father, Tomonori, 52, looked to the heavens for a while. “I’m half happy because she is finally back and half sad because she has returned this way,” Chiyumi said. “Now I have a feeling that the four members of my family (including the son) can live together again,” she added. Noting that cake was his daughter’s favorite food, Tomonori said, “I want her to eat cake soon.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]