Tsunami-hit town plagued by staffing problems
OTSUCHI, Iwate -- Staffing problems continue to ravage this tsunami-devastated town, as a local business group aiming for economic recovery laments the response of politicians as tepid.
The group, "Domannaka Otsuchi Cooperative," is composed of four businesses and was visited by a group of around 10 Diet members in early May. The cooperative's head director, Masakazu Haga, 68, spent 20 minutes describing the area's predicament to the visitors, telling them that even when they put out help wanted ads, people don't come. The politicians responded that it was "a problem that should be taken up at the Diet."
While Haga is thankful that the Diet members listened to his complaints, he was also disappointed at their response. He says that many politicians have been visiting the area, but most of them give a similar response along the lines of "We'll bring it up with our party," without talking about any specific policies.
Following the tsunami, the cooperative was out of action for a year. When it restarted, the four member businesses made use of funding assistance from the national government and elsewhere to rebuild their factories. The cooperative now has two marine product manufacturing lines for cutting and canning fish. It had planned to run them with 90 employees, but it currently has only 60.
"At this rate, we will have to cut back on production because of utility bills and other costs," says Haga.
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