Quake victims in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, shop Jan. 5 at the Wai Plaza Wajima supermarket, which itself was damaged by the New Year’s Day earthquake. (Video footage by Wataru Sekita)

Photo/Illutration Customers at the Wai Plaza Wajima supermarket wait in line to pay for their purchases on Jan. 5. (Wataru Sekita)

WAJIMA, Ishikawa Prefecture--A supermarket here is doing its bit to help residents after the New Year’s Day earthquake by pricing almost all goods at a tax inclusive 100 yen (69 cents).

The Wai Plaza Wajima supermarket was packed Jan. 4 with customers seeking to stock up on food and supplies after the new year celebrations.

Members of staff wore helmets as a precaution. Quake debris was visible outside the outlet.

The area where customers could purchase items from the food court and sit down to eat became the temporary sales floor. The regular sales space was considered too dangerous because of ceiling cave-ins and toppled shelves.

Supermarket workers gathered from Jan. 2 to clean up and gather items that could still be salvaged. Damage to roads has reduced the supply from wholesalers to about 10 percent of normal times.

Rather than profit from the disaster, the supermarket wanted to help local residents get back on their feet by keeping the price of products as low as possible.

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