Reconstruction Work in Hirono-Cho, Fukushima Prefecture

In 2015, Nissan employees personally assisted with Hirono-Cho reconstruction efforts in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture. Four volunteer groups went to the town, working in cooperation with Iwaki OtentoSUN Enterprise Cooperative, which is based in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Hirono-Cho is adjacent to Iwaki City, at the southern end of the Futaba District. It was the most damaged of eight villages in the area, facing some of the most difficult conditions of all disaster areas, due to the impact of the nuclear power plant accident.

Local residents wanted to have people visit the area to witness the shocking conditions in Hirono-Cho. In response to residents’ invitations, our employees planned reconstruction work with the business union, as well as a tour of some of the areas most damaged by the nuclear accident.

From the full range of Nissan facilities, there were far more volunteers than available spaces in each work group. Approximately 155 employees were chosen at random to participate. Many residents also returned to join in the rebuilding of a park that had been a central gathering spot. By hand, they installed a solar panel to power an LED streetlight, a simple beacon to mark the resurrection of the town.

On March 5, 2016, five years after the earthquake, Iwaki Factory employees were joined by the plant manager in a ceremony to celebrate completion of a disaster-prevention green zone built along the shore and planted with trees that served as an anchor for the space.