Chinami Ogasawara of Miyagi Construction Co.

Decided to work in Iwate after the disaster

Ms. Ogasawara, who studied civil engineering in university, didn't particularly have a place in mind while she was job hunting. However, after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, she decided that if she was going to find work, she should do it in Iwate. Currently, she is employed at a construction company that has its headquarters located in Kuji, and is working on the frontline of the reconstruction.

In regards to the reconstruction, Ms. Ogasawara says, "I'm in charge of the site at Noda, and I think things are going very well there. In my hometown of Rikuzentakata, though, they're still building embankments. Scale plays a factor, but there are definitely places in the prefecture that are moving faster toward reconstruction, and places that are moving slower. Looking at it from a construction worker’s standpoint, I know how much time it takes to get things finished, and sometimes it feels frustrating."

Contribute to the region through construction work

After the onset of the disaster, Ms. Ogasawara’s company set up solar panels and batteries in the office building to prepare for power outages during disasters, as well as an electronic system that will take in evacuating residents.

"There are 4 places generating solar energy that are sent to energy suppliers in specific areas, but for the future, it might be possible to have Kuji generate its own energy for its own use within the city's grounds," she says about her aspirations for contributing to the region through her work.

There are high hopes for Ms. Ogasawara’s contribution to both the ongoing reconstruction, and future disaster prevention efforts.

Profile

Chinami Ogasawara
Site Manager
Miyagi Construction Co., Ltd.

Originally from Rikuzentakata.
She studied civil engineering at Iwate University, then entered Miyagi Construction Co., Ltd. （headquarters in Kuji） in April 2012. She is certified as a second-class civil engineering works execution managing engineer, and is currently working as a site manager where she is involved in reconstruction projects.