I can't compare quantities since I've only been here since August, but just in the 1 km walk between here and Sakuragi-cho Station, I still see a number of signs encouraging the Northeast to hang in there. It's clear that this tragedy still looms extremely large in the general Japanese consciousness. Here are a few examples of signs that I pass each day:
"Let's hang in there, Northeast!" There's a implied unity among everyone - both in the Northeast as well as the rest of the Japan - that they will all pull together for the Northeast's sake. These bright red letters on the blue billboard are above an Indian restaurant just across the street from Hinode-cho Station (my neighborhood station).
These next two posters are by the entrance to Sakuragi-cho Station (which I pass through on the way to school). They are advertising the "resurrection" of shinkansen (bullet train) service to the Northeast, thus restoring the Northeast's connection with the rest of the county. Trains began running along this route again on Sep 23. At the bottom of the text, next to the red circle, the poster reads "Let's get connected, Japan."
This rainbow poster is inside the lobby of Landmark Tower and has a simple message, "Genki! For Japan." "Genki" can be translated as "well-being" but also includes a sense of liveliness and vitality. In other words, it's encouraging everyone to be genki for Japan's sake despite the heaviness of the times.
And finally, this homemade sign...character...figure...sits outside a cafe on a side street near my apartment. The cut out & pasted on message simply reads "Fight, Northeast." Well, this time I translated it as "fight" rather than "hang in there." It's the same word, but there's a definite sense of perseverance and struggle in order to survive & overcome (as in: DON'T GIVE IN) in this particular term.
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