Key Facts
• July 11, 2025: Toyama City’s Higashihonen Town Association submitted a request to Mayor Hirohisa Fujii.
• 70 out of 240 households in Higashihonen suffered damage from the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
• 13 homes were classified as semi-destroyed or worse.
• Proposed countermeasure: groundwater lowering method, with construction costs covered by the city.
• Annual maintenance cost of $3,300 (¥480,000) was proposed to be borne by residents.
• 52% of 95 affected households are pensioners, citing financial difficulty.
• Past disasters, such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, had no resident cost burden.
• Six homes in the area were publicly funded for demolition, raising concerns about vacant lots.
• Mayor Fujii aims to minimize resident costs and reach a resolution promptly.
Summary
Residents of Higashihonen in Toyama City, affected by liquefaction from the Noto Peninsula earthquake, have requested the elimination of local financial burdens for countermeasures. The city proposed a groundwater lowering method, covering construction costs but requiring residents to pay $3,300 annually for maintenance. With over half of the affected households being pensioners, financial strain is a major concern. Past disasters, such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, set a precedent for cost-free measures. Mayor Hirohisa Fujii expressed intentions to minimize resident costs and expedite a resolution.
