Before It Can Rebuild, Japanese Town Must Survive

[AsahinaKimi]

Satoshi Watanabe, 42, searching the ruins of his home in Otsuchi, Japan

OTSUCHI, Japan — The crumpled cars have reddened with rust, and spring rains and a warming sun have left the ashes and mud hardened into an earthen plate of armor. But Satoshi Watanabe still comes every day to pick through the charred debris that was once his home, searching for the remains of his 2-month-old infant daughter.

She was swept away by the tsunami that flattened much of this fishing town and killed his wife, mother and two other young daughters. Once he finds the missing child, Mr. Watanabe said, he will leave this town and its painful memories for good.

“No one wants to build here again,” said Mr. Watanabe, 42, who spoke in short sentences punctuated by long sighs. “This place is just too scary.”



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/world/asia/16recovery.html