Impact of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami on Japan's horticultural industry

This report summarizes the impact of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami on Japan's horticultural industry. Specifically, the report focuses on the damage caused by the disaster that occurred on March 11, 2011 and the subsequent recovery process. These related disasters resulted in approximately 20,000 deaths, destruction of many towns and cities, disruption to communications and flooding of approximately 23,600 ha of farmland. More than 270,000 people are still living in temporary accommodation, because the ground level needs to be raised before construction of new towns can commence. The earthquake and tsunami also caused a nuclear meltdown at the nuclear power plants located in Fukushima Prefecture. The Asian Horticultural Congress, to be held in Tsukuba in 2012, had to be cancelled. The main reduction in agricultural and horticultural production was observed in the Fukushima Prefecture. Subsequently, the Japanese government constructed new greenhouses furnished with large-scale advanced technology for vegetable and fruit production, particularly in this region. New technology includes robotic management and harvesting of strawberries. The daily lives of the Japanese people are becoming more stable as recovery progresses.