He opposed building a massive tsunami wall, a sentiment shared by most residents. He became deputy chairman of a council set up jointly by residents and local officials to hash out rebuilding plans.

When the man looked down on the settlement through gaps in the trees, he saw walls of waves approaching the shore. He heard the tsunami crashing ahead as well as automobile horns beeping.

“But they were vulnerable to the high tsunami waves.” When the flooding hit, the ‘tsunami walls’ made to protect the plant from such events were too low to prevent the sea water from entering the ...