At that time, I worked hard for the safety of citizens.
I would like to tell my children how serious the disaster is.
Not to repeat the tragedy...
Interviewer: Shunsuke MUTO
Interviewee: Satoru MUTO
The Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred at 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, was the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan, registering a maximum seismic intensity of 9.0. A massive tsunami struck primarily the Pacific coast areas of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures. The disaster caused catastrophic damage, including approximately 15,899 deaths, about 2,529 missing persons, and roughly 121,991 completely destroyed homes. Coupled with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, it became an unprecedented disaster resulting in long-term evacuations and ongoing environmental impacts (Inami city, 2021).
Photo is the tsunami coming in 3.11 from webpage of Inami city
When the earthquake struck, I was working at the city office in Yokote city, Akita. I was on the phone with someone from another department when I felt a strong tremor.
I remember the shaking lasted quite a while. The city hall I worked in at the time was very old. I distinctly recall it shaking so violently that the windows creaked and groaned, making me fear the building might collapse. I remember everyone immediately putting on helmets and evacuating outside.
City hall staff have the duty to ensure citizen safety. We worked late into the night confirming damage. Since my department handled sewage, we were concerned the system might fail. I remember running around late into the night to inspect all the sewage facilities to assure the security of the water supply.
Photo is distribution of seismic intensity from Yahoo News
I went to Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture after 6 months after the earthquake. I wanted to show my two sons, who had just started elementary school, the aftermath of the disaster. I wanted to drive along the coast from Miyagi to Iwate Prefecture, where the damage was particularly severe and the sea was close, and show the situation to the children.
Through this visit to Ishinomaki, I realized that for the children too, this had been an earthquake with incredibly intense shaking. I wanted my children to see with their own eyes and feel the reality: that many people had lost their lives, many were displaced, and many were suffering terribly.
This photo was taken by my father, Satoru MUTO
The atomosphere in Ishinomaki
(Japanese only)
I am Shunsuke MUTO, a junior student of Akita International University who is 20 years old. I am from Yokote city in Akita prefecture and experienced the 3.11 earthquake when I was 6 years old. When the grave earthquake happened, I slept in my kindergarten. At that time, I could not understand how severe this disaster was or what happened in the Tohoku regions. However, now, through this interview activity to my father, and as one of the people who live in Tohoku region, in Japan, and in current society, I try to understand more about the 3.11 disaster.
Through my interview, I leant that local government has concrete systems for disasters or other emergency situations to help government function and prevent confusion among civilians. When I was in the disaster, I wondered why my father was not by my side. However, through this interview, I understood that my father worked harder than usual for not only his family but also all people in Yokote city. Even though it was true that Yokote city did not get serious damage by the 3.11 earthquake, I believe my father's tireless efforts were the reason we were able to rapidly rebuild our social systems and provide support to other disaster stricken areas. Moreover, to be honest, I did not remember that I went to Ishinomaki with my father. But, through this interview with my father, the action which my father took was consequently correct and necessary for future generations, including me. What we see, learn, and feel on-site will provide valuable insights for minimizing damage in major disasters that may occur in the future. If I have a family in the future, I would like to do the same things for my child as my father was doing for me. Throughout this precious interview, we must never forget the 3.11 earthquake. Now that recovery is mostly complete and we are able to live happily, I have been reminded that this is thanks to the efforts and support of many people.
Inami city (Inami-chou). (2021). Disaster Preparedness Tips for March: Never Forget That Day: The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11. Inami city (Inami-chou). https://www.town.wakayama-inami.lg.jp/0000001256.html
Sugiyama Univ. (2021). [Video Record] Connecting the Earthquake to the Future: 10 Years in Miyagi’s Ishinomaki City (33 min 15 sec) [YouTube]. In YouTube. https://youtu.be/PuGlcwr_yYE?si=aZacZLilQ5769wt7
TBS NEWS DIG Powered by JNN. (2021). [3.11] Massive Tsunami Overwhelms Seawall in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture [JNN Archive: Records of That Day, 3/11] [YouTube]. In YouTube. https://youtu.be/yPajUmZHpOE?si=D3JwVX9PpEhiumho
Weather News. (2021). 【Scenes at the Time of the Great East Japan Earthquake】Weathernews 2011-03-11 [YouTube]. In YouTube. https://youtu.be/19i4E8GnLlU?si=fdwTRu35xg0Meaby
Yahoo Japan. (n.d.). Earthquake Information (March 11, 2011) Maximum Intensity 7 | Epicenter: Off the Sanriku Coast - Yahoo! Weather & Disasters. Yahoo! Weather & Disasters. Retrieved December 18, 2025, from https://typhoon.yahoo.co.jp/weather/jp/earthquake/20110311144618.html