Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito Visit Disaster-Hit Area

Kesennuma, Miyagi Pref., Sept. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and his son, Prince Hisahito, visited a disaster-hit area in Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Sunday. They visited the Ruins of the Great East Japan Earthquake Kesennuma City Memorial Museum, which preserves and maintains the former school building of Kesennuma Koyo High School, which was damaged by the tsunami following the massive earthquake in March 2011. This was Prince Hisahito’s first visit to an area devastated by the 2011 disaster. According to an aide, the visit was made at the wishes of both Crown Prince Akishino and Prince Hisahito to mark the 15th anniversary of the disaster. In a third-floor classroom, a car that was swept away and overturned remains about 8 meters above ground level. They toured the building, which remains as it was at the time of the disaster, while listening to explanations from local high school students and others serving as storytellers. Upon seeing the indoor gymnasium, which had lost its roof, Prince Hisahito asked, “Where was the roof washed away to?” The former school building was flooded to a height of about 12 meters on the fourth floor by the tsunami, but all students, teachers and staff were evacuated and safe. Crown Prince Akishino, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, said, “It’s good that everyone evacuated and was safe.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]