It's nearly five months since the huge tsunami struck northeast Japan, killing over 20,000 people. The reconstruction effort is well under way and the government has earmarked several billion dollars to help survivors rebuild their homes and livelihoods. Many survivors say the financial assistance has been too slow.
巨大海啸侵袭日本东北部海岸，导致两万多人死亡的灾难，到现在已将近五个月了。灾后重建的工作正在顺利进行。日本政府也拨出相当于几十亿美元的经费，协助灾民重建家园。但是很多灾民抱怨，政府的财务支援来得太慢了。
Much left to be done in Sendai
On board one of the first scheduled flights into Sendai since the earthquake. The approach reveals a shoreline still bearing the scars of the tsunami.
地震灾害发生后，从首批抵达仙台机场的一架飞机中，记者可以看到海岸边灾后的伤痕累累。
Flattened pine woods and flooded rice fields are littered with piles and piles of wreckage. But progress is being made.
在被大水冲倒的松树林中和淹没的稻田里，处处都是成堆的灾后残骸。
The airport has reopened less than five months after the wave hit - a physical and psychological link to the world.
不过，重建工作正在进行当中。仙台机场在海啸侵袭不到五个月之后就重新开放了。
In the Sendai suburb of Okada, just a couple of kilometers from the shore, Takahashi Masao is digging the garden outside his home - which somehow stayed standing.
在距离海边不过两公里的仙台市郊区冈田，一名当地的居民高桥雅夫，正在自己房屋外边的庭院挖掘。他的房子幸免于倒塌。
He remembers hearing the tsunami warning siren on March 11 - and running up to the second floor balcony.
高桥还记得，三月11日那天，他听见了海啸的警报后，跑到二楼的阳台上。
“When the earthquake struck I was wondering what would happen, how big the tsunami might be,” he says. “I was watching and watching. And then the wave came over those pine trees. ‘This is big,’ I thought,'” says Takahashi. “I realized it would soon reach my car parked down there. But there was nothing I could do. So I came up to the second floor and watched it all from here.”
高桥说：“当地震发生时，我还弄不清楚是怎么回事，这海啸究竟会有多大。”他说，“我一直看着，然后看见海浪淹没了松林，我想，这次可不小。”他说，“我知道海浪很快就会卷到我停在那边的车子。但是我已经无能为力。我只有上二楼注视这全部的情景。”
Much of the ground floor was gutted. Takahashi is slowly rebuilding, starting with the family shrine. There is much more expensive work to be done.
在他家的楼下，大部分物件都已被损毁。他只有慢慢修复。首先要从祖先的灵位着手。然后，还要做很多须要花钱的部分。
“Everyone says the money has been really slow,” he says. “Only 30 percent people affected in Sendai have received money.”
高桥继续说：“每个人都说钱来得实在很慢。只有百分之30的仙台拿到了钱。”
“The government says this is a really massive disaster so people should understand it’s slow, but it’s very frustrating. If the government would say that here is not a good place to live, that you can’t live here, I wouldn’t fix this house, I would leave,” he says. “But the traffic signals are being fixed just over there. So it seems like we can still live here. No-one knows.”
“政府说，这项灾害实在太大，恢复得慢，人民应该谅解。可是这种情形令人非常失望。如果政府早说这个地方不行了，你再也住不下去了，我就不必费劲修理这栋房子，我会搬走的。”他又说，“可是离这儿不远的交通讯号灯都已经修好了。看来这里还是可以住下去。谁知道呢。”
Reconstruction under way
Outside, engineers are also fixing the cell phone network. The water, gas and electricity have already been reconnected. The total cost of post-tsunami reconstruction is estimated to be near $300 billion.
屋子外面，工程人员正在修复手机网路设施。水电和天然气都接通了。全部海啸灾后重建的费用，估计将近三千亿美元。
The ancient Hama Kaido coast road used to be a summer escape route from Sendai city. Now it is choked with trucks carrying wreckage.
一条名叫熊野古道的海边道路，过去是从仙台过来的夏季避暑路线。如今沿途满是载运残留物的卡车。
With typical Japanese efficiency it is sorted into neat piles. Local authorities have set a recycling target of 50 percent.
由于日本人的办事效率，这些废料已经整齐地一堆堆排放着，当地政府设定了百分之50的回收目标。
The rest will be buried or burned in one of the three incinerators being built on former seaside parkland.
剩下的部分，将在附近三个焚化场掩埋或焚烧。
Mixed expectations for the future
In Miyagi Prefecture alone, authorities estimate they will collect around 18 million metric tons of debris.
仅仅宫城县一地，当地政府估计，将收集一千八百万公吨的垃圾。
In the shadow of the garbage dumps, Maeda Hiroko picks the weeds from her vegetable patch. She fears little will grow here because of the saltwater.
在成堆垃圾的阴影下，前田裕子在她的蔬菜园里捡拾海藻。她恐怕这里由于盐分的浸入，不能再种什么东西了。
“The government says people should move out from the whole area,” says Maeda. “But we have our house and land here. I believe everyone who still has something here, whose houses are at least still standing, will come back.”
她说：“政府说，居民应该迁出这整个地区，可是我们的房子和土地都在这里。我相信在这里还有一些东西的每个人，例如没有倒塌的房子，都会回来的。”
Such optimism is reflected across Japanese society - helping to drive the reconstruction effort. Privately, many of the survivors still fear an uncertain future.
日本社会充满着这些乐观的态度。这个态度帮助日本进行重建的努力。但私下里，很多灾民仍旧对不可知的未来心存畏惧。 |