Japan’s government says the total cost of the damage caused by the tsunami could reach 25 trillion yen – or US $309 billion. Entire towns were wiped out when the wave hit on March 11th. Farms, factories, roads, railways and electricity lines were destroyed, while almost half a million people have been made homeless. Despite the destruction, many Japanese people hope the reconstruction effort might turn out to help the Japanese economy, as Henry Ridgwell reports for VOA from Tokyo.