Who's to pay for getting rid of the 1.5 million tons of debris?

June 24, 2012

Japan, US to discuss disposal of tsunami debris

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120624_04.html

Japanese and US officials plan to exchange information on floating debris created by last year's massive tsunami. The debris is now turning up along the North American west coast after drifting across the Pacific.

The officials are scheduled to hold talks in Seattle on Monday.

The Japanese government estimates that around 1.5-million tons of debris is now drifting in the Pacific. It was washed out to sea in March last year by the tsunami waves that struck coastal areas of northeastern Japan.

Some of the debris has already washed up on the US and Canadian coasts. Much more is expected to arrive soon.

Japanese officials plan to explain that much of the wreckage of houses swept away by the tsunami is likely to reach the US coast in October.

The officials of the two countries hope to discuss who will bear the cost of disposal as well as whether Japan will send workers to help with retrieval efforts.