A communal facility opened in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Sunday to support people living in temporary housing after their homes were destroyed or damaged by last year's earthquake in the Noto Peninsula, central Japan.



The one-story wooden structure, located inside the city's temporary housing area, features a dining room with about 40 seats and a bathhouse.



Quake survivors can seek advice from social welfare and other staff about nursing care and living support.



The place will also be used as a base for neighborhood watch activities.



The facility was built by social welfare and other corporations with subsidies from the prefecture.



In an opening ceremony, Wajima Mayor Sakaguchi Shigeru said there is a need for facilities where those displaced by the disaster can recover their energy. He also said the city will provide them with assistance in securing their places to live after sheltering.



An elderly woman, who lives alone, said the facility is great for her to interact with others in temporary housing.



The director of the social welfare corporation, Oya Ryosei, said the facility provides temporary housing residents with an opportunity to get together. He added it can respond to medical and welfare needs whenever necessary.



The corporation plans to open similar facilities in other areas of the city.