The Japanese architect who won the 2024 Pritzker Architecture Prize has offered support for rebuilding areas devastated by the New Year's Day earthquake.

Yamamoto Riken is on a three-day trip to Ishikawa Prefecture to inspect damage firsthand.

On Monday, he met with Wajma Mayor Sakaguchi Shigeru at the city office.

He told Sakaguchi it is important to preserve the local community that existed before the quake.

He said he wants to discuss with residents the future of their communities and develop a restoration plan.

The mayor said reconstruction work should be planned according to the situation in each district. He asked Yamamoto to continue to provide the city with insights and support.

Yamamoto also visited the city's iconic morning market, where a massive fire triggered by the quake burned down many buildings, and had discussions with quake survivors.

He later said that as an architect, it is his responsibility to consider how to preserve the memories of old towns.

He plans to visit the Ishikawa prefectural office and Suzu City during his trip.

Yamamoto is known for architectural designs that aim to foster interactions among people in the community.
He designed community centers for residents of temporary housing after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

He also took part in a forum on post-disaster reconstruction with other prominent architects.