Pine tree replanting project starts in tsunami-hit Rikuzentakata

A project to replant pine trees began Saturday on the coast of the northeastern Japan city of Rikuzentakata that was destroyed in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.A total of around 40,000 pine trees are expected to be planted on the Pacific coast of the city in Iwate Prefecture by the end of March 2020, with a budget of around 1.35 billion yen ($12.13 million), according to the prefectural government.Before the massive tsunami wiped out the Takatamatsubara pine forest, around 70,000 pines stretched for 2 kilometers along the beach, attracting many tourists.The original pine trees were …READ FULL ARTICLE