Japan's "angry mayor" making himself heard

(CBS News) Last year's earthquake and tsunami shattered the faith of many Japanese in their central government.

Now, a mayor who suffered a very personal loss is throwing traditional Japanese reserve aside, he says, to make his city safer.

CBS News correspondent Lucy Craft reports that in a country known for stoicism and patience, Mayor Futoshi Toba is anything but.

"If I tried to please everyone, we'd get nowhere," Toba says.

What he wants is a complete rebuild of his city Rikuzen-Takada. It was erased by the tsunami, killing 2,000 residents - one out of every ten - including his wife of 15 years, Kumi.

"People have to die for nothing? For their sake, I must rebuild our town, as their mayor, and as my wife's husband," Toba says.

So now, Mayor Toba is a man in a hurry.

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He tells CBS News he's got big plans - a memorial park, a state-of-the-art, compact downtown.

But first he needs a seawall. In the worst-hit downtown area, the new barrier will stretch nearly a mile long and top 40 feet - a massive project that could take six years.

In blunt language, Toba told one of Japan's leading papers: "It's pointless to say, wait for six years, until the seawall is built. I've urged the prefecture to speed it up, but they just don't get it."

With traumatized residents moving out, the city is poised for a slow death, its population down by nearly 20 percent since the disaster.

Unwilling to sit and quietly endure, Toba shows up at local festivals, in YouTube appeals.

"Even if it kills my political future, I must do what I think is right, and damn the consequences," Toba says in one.

Toba will do anything to keep the pressure on, and his town's plight in the news.

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[ampsanne]

I hope Mayor Toba gets all the help he can get. They probably never thought something like that could happen to their town. It's too bad he lost his wife in it. I suppose people of the city have already been infected by the radioactivity and feel what good what it do to move. So why not stay there and be there for one another. It's probably the city they grew up in and don't want to leave. He certainly sounds like he wants to get his city rolling again, and with his attitude will certainly get things done. And if he accomplishes want he wants will probably be leading his city politically for a long time in the future. We need more people like him in our political offices here in the U.S. Hats off to you Mayor Toba!!!

[canislupus16]

Sorry about his loss, and all in Japan who suffered losses, and I applaud his will. But I have as much regard for his idea of living in a known hazard zone there as I do for the idiots in the U.S. who choose to live within the designated 100-year flood zones of rivers and coastal areas, earthquake zones, tornado areas, mud and slide zones, high and dry areas prone to fire, etc.

[ToolMangler1]

Please show me a area of the USA that "DOES NOT" lie completely or partially in a "known hazard zone", Earthquake zone, 100 year flood zone, Tornado 'Alley', mud and slide zones, high and dry areas prone to fire, etc. "YOU CAN'T"!!!! That is what is known as "everyday living" for almost every person on Earth..

[pegasus1945]

Good for him his village. At least the mayor is trying to cut a lot of red tape and get things moving that otherwise would never happen. More citizen leaders like him and we would have much less need for worthless corrupt politicians.

[Resin-Smoker]

Here's an idea... how about re-building somewere without the high risk of flooding?

Seams rather stupid to me to throw good money at a bad idea, no matter how personal the loss.

[wlhoppers]

Bravo to the mayor for dropping all pretenses and speaking his mind. At long last a politician who has the best interests of his city and its people in mind.

I hope he and his devastated city get all the help they need.

[Chattanooga2012]

Mayor Toba and residents, you are working in the right direction. Things can be built, we as humans have constructed amazing engineering feats. Certainly, the design of a wall, to hold back such a force, aesthetically pleasing for the small population would be a laborious endeavor. However, the restoration of security within a community is of paramount importance.

People like where they have lived, there is a human bond to place. Progress aides in the reconstruction of the soul. Be a wise elder for your future generations.

[imnho]

A politician willing to sacrifice his careed to do the right thing. What a novel conecpt.

[Dukme]

Sorry for his wife and the Japanese but the mayor could have planned the sea wall in advance and not cry wolf now. I'm sure it's a challenge to build such wall and ruin the beauty of the country.

[hlmelsaidtwitter]

Political future.