
Yoshie Minamidani’s heart leapt when she saw the stray tabby cat, a mainstay of the famous Asaichi Dori shopping street in Wajima city on the western coast of Japan.
Like the cat, she is a survivor of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that shook Wajima in Ishikawa Prefecture and nearby regions on New Year’s Day, leaving at least 180 people dead, scores missing and buildings in shambles — including Minamidani’s seafood store.