Date, Japan
The aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disasters pose a significant challenge to the City of Date and its agricultural industry. Radioactive contamination of the rice, fruit and vegetables grown in the city just after the disasters compounded existing problems from an aging workforce; two years later, in spite of largely successful decontamination efforts, persistent fears about food safety continue to threaten the livelihood of many residents. The city asked IBM to rethink the future of its agricultural industry, planning for sustainability and growth, and, importantly, seeding the revitalization of the city as a whole.
