Donations Aiding Work to Preserve Tsunami-Ravaged School

Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref., June 27 (Jiji Press)–Some 3 million yen in donations from across Japan is helping the efforts to preserve the remains of an elementary school where a total of 84 students and staff workers died due to a tsunami that followed the March 2011 powerful earthquake in northeastern Japan. The donations were collected through a campaign by bereaved families, and work to prevent further degradation of the building of Okawa Elementary School in the city of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, such as applying waterproof coating, will be conducted over about a month. The Ishinomaki city government aims to preserve the building in the state it was at the time of the disaster. But its condition has deteriorated considerably 15 years after the tsunami. A waterproofing sheet for the rain gutter has been damaged, and holes have been created on the concrete surface, according to bereaved relatives. The city spends some 49 million yen annually to cover the preservation costs for two sets of remains related to the disaster, including Okawa Elementary School. When the exterior wall fell off in 2024, reinforcement work was conducted. But a city official in charge said, “Meeting all the requests (related to preservation) from bereaved families is financially difficult.” Under the circumstances, bereaved families started soliciting donations last year. Takahiro Shito, 61, who lost his 11-year-old second daughter, a fifth grader at the school, in the disaster, said: “It would take time if we only ask the city government. There also are financial constraints. As a parent who lost a child, I want to do what I can to preserve the school for a long time.” The turmoil in the Middle East is also overshadowing the preservation efforts. Prices of waterproof coating continue rising, according to an official of a local painting business. “We didn’t want to make bereaved relatives worry, so we managed to procure some before prices rise sharply,” the official said. But many parts of the school building need repairs, and bereaved relatives plan to continue asking for donations and other cooperation. “Preserving the school and letting people know (about the tragedy) is meaningful,” said Hideaki Tadano, 55, who lost his 9-year-old first daughter, a third grader, in the disaster, and acts as a storyteller. “We are grateful for donations from around the country.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]