能登半島地震から1年…仮設住宅で暮らす人の元日 (2025年1月1日)

I'm currently in Marine Town Daiichi Danchi, a temporary housing complex in Wajima City's Marine Town. This is the first temporary housing complex built in the prefecture since the Noto Peninsula earthquake, located in the multipurpose plaza of the Wajima Kiriko Hall. It houses residents of the Asaichi Street area who lost their homes in a major fire. Today, I'd like to speak with one of the residents here. Mr. Kazuo Hashizume has been living here since February of last year, alas, even though it's New Year's Day. I met Mr. Hashizume again after the earthquake, having met him through interviews, when he went to Wajima City Hall to pick up his disaster certificate. His house, near Asaichi Street, burned down. In fact, Mr. Hashizume was at his workplace when his house burned. The Bessho-dake Service Area on the Noto Satoyama Kaido was left isolated. Mr. Hashizume is the manager of the shop here. He spent time here with many customers immediately after the earthquake. A year has passed since then. On the 20th of last month, as the end of the year drew near, we spoke to Hashizume at the Bessho-dake Service Area to recount last year's New Year's Day. Hashizume has been living in temporary housing built in Marine Town since February of last year. Although the store has not reopened, Hashizume does not want to lose the motivation of his employees who got through that day with him, so he continues to pay them their salaries despite the closure. Even with the subsidy, he says he is still borrowing the remaining 20%. Never give up. That desire is becoming a reality. He has set a target of June for the store to reopen and has begun to take action. Hashizume occasionally drops in to see his employees, who are also his "comrades in arms."