The influence of the Great East Japan Earthquake on tuberculosis control in Japan.

WPSAR Vol 6, No 4, 2015 | doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.2.009 www.wpro.who.int/wpsar 30 a Nishinari District Public Health Offi ce, Osaka City, Japan. b The Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, Tokyo, Japan. Submitted: 4 June 2015; Published: 21 December 2015 doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2015.6.2.009 The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the Pacific Ocean side of north-eastern Japan on 11 March 2011,1 resulting in more than 18 000 deaths and missing people in three prefectures: Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima.2 Of those deaths, 65% were aged 60 years and older, and more than 90% were caused by drowning.3 The earthquake also destroyed nuclear power plants in Fukushima, causing high levels of radioactive contamination.4 As a result, there were 386 739 evacuees staying in 2182 temporary shelters such as community centres, schools and gymnasiums one week after the disaster.5