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Two Years After Noto Quake, Ishikawa Marks Losses and Ongoing Displacement

A Wajima memorial underscores a recovery still slowed by displacement, aging communities.

Overview

  • A prefectural memorial in Wajima includes a 4:10 p.m. moment of silence at the time the magnitude 7.6 quake struck on Jan. 1, 2024.
  • An official tally as of Dec. 25 records 228 direct deaths in Ishikawa and 470 other quake-related fatalities across Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama, for a total of 698.
  • Roughly 18,000 people remain in temporary housing in Ishikawa Prefecture two years after the disaster.
  • Rebuilding plans for Wajima’s fire-gutted Morning Market call for constructing a large roof over the restored shopping area.
  • Local officials and residents cite accelerating population decline in the Noto area, raising concerns for industry, education and elderly care during reconstruction.