Mass Graves Replace Elaborate Funerals in Northern Japan

Summary:

• After the 9.0 earthquake that triggered a tsunami in Japan almost 2 weeks ago, the country’s body count continues to rise
• The very first mass burial sight has been created in Kamaishi, Japan 
• Along with the clean up from demolished buildings, the body count is so high that there is no where to put them
• For now, the deceased will lie in this temporary grave, then later transferred to the Buddhist burial site
• Many citizens continue the search for their loved ones, just hoping to be able to give them a proper burial
• The Japanese who have lost loved ones can not carry out the traditional Buddhist funeral ceremonies because there is no where to have these ceremonies and there are too many corpses to have the ceremonies
• The space to store the corpses is so limited, bodies from pulled from the rubble are being kept in schools and in gymnasiums 
• Even now with limited space for corpses, nearly 17 000 people remain missing, so more bodies are expected to be recovered
• The bodies must be isolated to prevent the spread of disease
• Now, bodies are being cremated, sadly because there is no space to put them

Opinion:

This disaster is devastating. The amount of destruction in Japan is horrendous. People have not only lost their loved ones, but they have lost their homes. I believe that the government is doing the best they can to help calm the chaos and clean up in the streets of Japan. Canada has offered to help Japan finacially as they rebuild their nation, but before they can rebuild, they must clean up the rubble and bodies the tsunami and multiple earthquakes left behind.

Mass Graves Replace Elaborate Funerals in Northern Japan article
About Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami
Google Maps- Kamaishi, Japan

 

How did it start?	How can it be resolved?
Earthquake in Japan Tsunami that hit after the earthquake Body count is very high and there is little room left for anymore bodies	Volunteers cleaning up Citizens claim loved ones’ corpses International Aid International Volunteers for clean up Send bodies to neighbouring countries for buriel?

INTERRELATED:
Environmental	Political
- no room for corpses	-government is struggling to help citizens rebuild their lives
- the disaster has damaged nuclear plants and fear of dangerous nuclear material escaping, is becoming a reality	- Countries all over the world are doing their best to help contribute in  the clean up

Social/Cultural	Economic
- Buaddhist ceremnoies cannot be performed on those who have died because there are too many	-companies cannot operate because  their buidlings have been destroyed
- schools and recreation centres are now being used to hold corpses	- the economy is suffering because buildings and homes have been destroyed and people cannot work until the rebuilding begins/finishes