Today marks the first New Year's Day since the Great East Japan Earthquake struck on March 11, 2011.
The unprecedented natural disaster left deep scars on the national psyche and on society. Cleaning up the debris left behind by the earthquake and tsunami has not proceeded smoothly, and the reconstruction of disaster-hit communities is just beginning. The catastrophe at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has not been settled completely, and people who fled their homes to escape the nuclear crisis are scattered around the country.
Our nation's economy is suffering from the dual blows of a super-strong yen and low stock prices caused by the financial confusion in the United States and Europe. Furthermore, the transfer of manufacturing facilities overseas is accelerating--exacerbating the hollowing-out of the nation's industrial base. We hope the economy can return to a growth track through full-fledged reconstruction of the areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. (Yomiuri)
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