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Preparations for New Year Underway in Quake-Hit Noto Region

Preparations for New Year Underway in Quake-Hit Noto Region

A woman (right) volunteers to prepare food in the city of Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on New Year's Eve on Tuesday.
A woman (right) volunteers to prepare food in the city of Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on New Year's Eve on Tuesday.

   Suzu, Ishikawa Pref., Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)--Preparations to welcome the New Year were underway Tuesday in municipalities in central Japan's Noto Peninsula damaged by a massive earthquake on Jan. 1, 2024.
   On the final day of 2024, people were preparing to offer the day's "Machino no Yu" bathing support service, launched in late May in the Machino-machi district in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture.
   The bathing service will also be available in the morning of New Year's Day on Wednesday, which marks the first anniversary of the 7.6-magnitude temblor, according to a man in his 60s working as a temporary staff member of Peace Boat Disaster Relief, which runs the service. "I'm ready to continue supporting local people in 2025," he said.
   In a square in front of the municipal government office of the Ishikawa city of Suzu, people were working for a series of events to be held from the afternoon of New Year's Eve to the afternoon of New Year's Day, such as one featuring "mochitsuki" rice-cake pounding and a karaoke competition. "Toshikoshi soba" traditional Japanese noodles will be served from Tuesday evening.
   "It must be fun and healing, so I think I'll join in (the karaoke event) and sing," Akiko Nakayachi, 66, said.

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