Japan: Reconstructing Tohoku to fit today

As Japan's national and local governments continue to review and approve master rebuilding plans and reconstruction blueprints, Curtis S. Chin, writing for The Japan Times, poses the question: "Will Japan's politicians and bureaucrats come together and heed a simple lesson that other policymakers faced with massive rebuilding efforts have learned before — namely, that bigger is not always better on the road to recovery?"

Taking the slow pace in rebuilding New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as an example, he calls on construction firms, real estate developers and insurance companies to recognise that not every proposed piece of new mega-infrastructure project needs to be built and advocates for a more focused, sustainable long-term approach to rebuilding communities.

In Japan, the size of the post-earthquake and tsunami rebuilding challenge remains immense. The writer warns that "Much more needs to be done now in ensuring strengthened public communications and greater accountability for moneys to be spent, whether reconstruction efforts are publicly or privately financed."