Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster Research Articles

Efficacy of trauma-focused therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder in disaster-affected regions: insights from Minamisoma, Japan.

This study investigated the implementation and efficacy of trauma-focused psychotherapies at a psychiatric clinic in Minamisoma City, Fukushima, after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear disaster. Analyzing medical records from April 2016 to March 2021, the authors identified a significant dropout rate of 43.2% among post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients within the first 5 years. These findings highlight the challenges and effectiveness of trauma-focused treatments like prolonged exposure therapy in disaster-stricken areas, where PTSD incidence is notably high. This study emphasizes the necessity to establish robust therapeutic frameworks capable of addressing PTSD in such contexts, considering the limited coverage of comprehensive psychotherapies by Japan's healthcare system.

Primary care clinic visits in formerly evacuated areas due to radiation disaster following the Great East Japan Earthquake: A retrospective descriptive study.

Radiation disasters pose distinctive medical challenges, requiring diverse care approaches. Beyond radiation exposure assessment, addressing health impacts due to lifestyle changes, especially among vulnerable populations, is vital. Evacuation orders issued in radiation-affected areas introduce unique healthcare dynamics, with their duration significantly influencing the recovery process. Understanding evolving patient demographics and medical needs after lifting evacuation orders is crucial for post-disaster care planning. Minamisoma Municipal Odaka Hospital, located 13 to 20 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power plant in a post-evacuation zone, was greatly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent radiation disaster. Data were retrospectively collected from patient records, including age, gender, visit date, diagnoses, and addresses. Patient records from April 2014 to March 2020 were analyzed, comparing data before and after the July 2016 evacuation order lift. Data was categorized into pre and post-evacuation order lifting periods, using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition codes, to identify the top diseases. Statistical analyses, including χ-square tests, assessed changes in disease distributions. Population data for Odaka Ward and Minamisoma City fluctuated after lifting evacuation orders. As of March 11, 2011, Odaka Ward had 12,842 residents (27.8% aged 65+ years), dropping to 8406 registered residents and 2732 actual residents by April 30, 2018 (49.7%). Minamisoma City also saw declines, with registered residents decreasing from 71,561 (25.9%) to 61,049 (34.1%). The study analyzed 11,100 patients, mostly older patients (75.1%), between 2014 and 2020. Post-lifting, monthly patient numbers surged from an average of 55.2 to 213.5, with female patients increasing from 33.8% to 51.7%. Disease patterns shifted, with musculoskeletal cases declining from 23.8% to 13.0%, psychiatric disorders increasing from 9.3% to 15.4%, and trauma-related cases decreasing from 14.3% to 3.9%. Hypertension (57.1%) and dyslipidemia (29.2%) prevailed post-lifting. Urgent cases decreased from 1.3% to 0.1%. This study emphasizes the importance of primary care in post-evacuation zones, addressing diverse medical needs, including trauma, noncommunicable diseases, and psychiatric disorders. Changing patient demographics require adaptable healthcare strategies and resource allocation to meet growing demands. Establishing a comprehensive health maintenance system tailored to these areas' unique challenges is crucial for future disaster recovery efforts.

“Can You Get Anyone to Care?” Curating an Exhibition on the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although COVID-19 has commonly been narrated as an impediment to the arts, I argue that it also offered exciting new opportunities to engage audiences with exhibitions focus on public health crises. In this article, I reflect on my experience of curating Picturing the Invisible with students at Technical University Munich (TU Munich) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organized in memory of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, the exhibition was shown at the Royal Geographical Society, London (October till December 2021) during the so-called “second wave” and at TU Munich (June 2022) amid the rise of the Omicron Variant. Departing from the common tendency to narrate events as having been successfully organized despite the pandemic, this paper presents the virus as co-creating—perhaps even co-curating—the exhibition. To do so, I provide a brief overview of Picturing the Invisible, before going on to analyze the role that the virus played in calling me to organize this project (as both a researcher and as a lecturer), how it has made it logistically possible, and how it presented new opportunities to engage foreign audiences with the experience of Japan’s triple disaster.

Multi-dimensional landscape ecological risk assessment and its drivers in coastal areas

The eastern coastal areas of Japan are threatened by multiple ecological risks due to frequent natural disasters, climate changes, human activities, etc. Identification spatio-temporal variations and driving mechanisms of landscape ecological risk could be used as significant basis for policymakers. In this study, taking the eastern coastal areas of Japan affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster as the study area, the “Nature-Landscape Pattern-Human Society” (NA-LP-HS) multi-dimensional ecological risk assessment framework was established to analyze the spatio-temporal patterns, and identity driving factors using spatial cluster analysis and spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) based on ArcGIS from 2009 to 2021. The findings revealed the distinct geographic patterns in landscape ecological risk, with a noticeable decline from the southwest to the northeast. During the period from 2009 to 2015, the driving factors leading to a sharp risk increase were natural disasters and vegetation coverage. These high-risk areas were concentrated in Sendai Bay and its surroundings. From 2015 to 2021, ecological instability was primarily attributed to a reduction in vegetation coverage, the occurrence of natural disasters, and heightened rainfall erosion. These high-risk areas were mainly clustered within the Tokyo-centered urban agglomeration. Spatial clustering of ecological risks was obvious across all time periods. The key factors contributing to the clustering of high ecological landscape risks focused on the “landscape pattern” criterion, specifically including vegetation coverage, land use land cover. This study demonstrated the ability of multi-dimensional ecological risk assessment to identify high-risk areas and driving factors, and these results could provide a visual analysis and decision-making basis for sustainable development of coastal areas.

Against an insufficient intervention for patients with alcoholism or PTSD: An activity report on a psychiatric clinic after the 2011 complex disaster in Fukushima, Japan

Despite numerous studies using questionnaires to assess mental health problems among disaster victims following a disaster, only a few have examined actual medical treatment situations. Surveys of residents in disaster-affected areas following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster also indicate deteriorated mental health among survivors; however, concrete evidence of increased individuals seeking treatment at psychiatric institutions is still scarce.Using medical records of a psychiatric clinic in an affected area during the chronic phase after a disaster, this study investigated the status of interventions for patients with alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and others, including whether violence occurred during treatment.We found that 730 patients visited the clinic for a year, but a few with alcoholism received treatment. Patients who experienced traumatic stress during the disaster had a higher treatment discontinuation rate, though it is not correlated with their involvement in violence. However, a diagnosis of complex PTSD was correlated with involvement in violence during the treatment.The psychiatric clinic providing care during the chronic phase of the post-disaster period did not provide sufficient treatment for alcoholism, where therapeutic interpersonal interaction is emphasized, or for PTSD, where trauma-focused psychotherapy is the standard of care. It is difficult to ensure the availability of highly specialized resources and the establishment of comprehensive ties with the local people in affected areas, however, such a situation poses a challenge.

E-Defense Shake Table Experiments Implemented by NIED and Collaborative Research Projects in 2005–2022

The three-dimensional full-scale earthquake testing facility, “E-Defense” was constructed using the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake as a lesson. Until October 2022, this facility has conducted 123 experiments as part of the research and development on earthquake engineering for various purposes (e.g., the clarification of destruction processes, evaluations of seismic structural performances, functional maintenance, collapse margins, and damage control technologies). Even after its commencement, large earthquakes that significantly affected human life and socioeconomic activities occurred such as the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake caused the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster. These earthquakes revealed some new challenges for disaster prevention and mitigation. Such issues have also been incorporated as subjects to be addressed by the facility. This article introduces the researches and developments using E-Defense, chronologically linking them with the major earthquakes occurred in Japan after 1995. By summarizing the activities, its near-future direction is also briefly indicated.

Exploring the experiences and learning of young primary care physicians in disaster-affected areas: A qualitative study on the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a critical role in disaster medicine. However, it is unclear how PCPs who provide chronic support to disaster-affected areas learn from their experiences. This qualitative study investigates the learnings of young PCPs who provided medical care during the chronic phase of the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster. Thematic analysis of interviews with five physicians revealed the challenges faced by them and their learnings in providing medical support to disaster-affected areas. They not only learned medical skills but also humanistic aspects such as empathizing with the survivors' loss.

Covering the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the Recovery Olympics After Fukushima

This article examines how major Japanese national newspapers - t he Asahi Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, the Yomiuri Shimbun, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and the Sankei Shimbun - discussed the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the “Recovery Olympics” in relation to radioactive materials as a key post-Fukushima environmental contamination issue. Although many scholars have critically examined the concept of the Recovery Olympics in the context of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, this study employs Beck’s risk society and Boykoff’s celebration capitalism theories to distinguish between the recovery discourses of the earthquake and tsunami versus the Fukushima disaster. It then explores the media’s depiction of the Recovery Olympics in relation to radioactive contamination. Using Fairclough’s dialectical-relational approch to critical discourse analysis, this study demonstrates that the leading Japanese national newspapers localized the issue of post-Fukushima environmental contamination within Fukushima Prefecture, thereby obscuring broader impacts for the Olympics. Additionally, it uncovers how these newspapers emphasized safety standards, transforming post-Fukushima environmental contamination below such standards into a symbol legitimizing the Recovery Olympics.

Heterogenous effects of the Great East Japan earthquake on prosociality of people depending on their age

This study investigates the instability of prosociality in the real world by looking at the age-specific non-linear relationship between disaster exposure and prosocial behavior. We employed unique microdata from two communities in Japan that were hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami disaster in 2011. Exploiting exogenous variations in disaster exposure, we find age-specific heterogeneous effects of disaster exposure on prosocial behavior captured by the behavior of sending New Year’s cards as well as attitudinal survey questions. Among the older groups, disaster damages undermine prosociality, whereas the younger groups show reinforced prosocial behaviors. These findings can be explained consistently by combining two possible determinants of prosocial behavior: pure or impure altruism and self-enforcements in repeated interactions at workplaces. Age information can help disentangle these two elements at least partially.

Pregnant women's migration patterns before childbirth after large-scale earthquakes and the added impact of concerns regarding radiation exposure in Fukushima and five prefectures.

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (within Fukushima, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures) was a complex disaster; it caused a tsunami and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, resulting in radiation exposure. This study investigated the earthquake's effects on the migration patterns of pregnant women and their concerns regarding radiation exposure. We also considered the following large-scale earthquakes without radiation exposure: Great Hanshin-Awaji (Hyogo prefecture), Niigata-Chuetsu, and Kumamoto. Pregnant women were categorized as outflow and inflow pregnant women. Data on the annual number of births three years before and after the earthquake were used as a denominator to calculate the outflow and inflow rates per 100 births. The odds ratios of annual outflow and inflow rates after the earthquake, using three years before the earthquake as the baseline, were calculated. The odds-ratio for outflow significantly increased for Hyogo, Fukushima, Miyagi, and Kumamoto prefectures after the earthquake, particularly for Fukushima, showing a significant increase until three years post the Great East Japan Earthquake (disaster year: odds-ratio: 2.66 [95% confidence interval: 2.44-2.90], 1 year post: 1.37 [1.23-1.52], 2 years post: 1.13 [1.00-1.26], 3 years post: 1.18 [1.05-1.31]), while the remaining three prefectures reported limited increases post one year. The inflow decreased after the earthquake, particularly in Fukushima, showing a significant decrease until 2 years post the Great East Japan Earthquake (disaster year: 0.58 [0.53-0.63], 1 year post: 0.76 [0.71-0.82], 2 years post: 0.83 [0.77-0.89]). Thus, pregnant women's migration patterns changed after large-scale earthquakes, suggesting radiation exposure concerns possibly have a significant effects. These results suggested that plans for receiving assistance and support that considers the peculiarities of disaster related damage and pregnant women's migration patterns are needed in both the affected and non-affected areas.

Japan’s Disaster Memorial Museums and framing 3.11: Othering the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in cultural memory

ABSTRACT With the proliferation of several dozen new exhibits and museums dedicated to this specific disaster, the 3.11 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, can be considered a turning point in the preservation of disaster memory in Japan. Although there is limited research on disaster museums, they play a significant role in shaping cultural memory of 3.11, as they are regarded as reliable, objective institutions of memory. Through analysis of 17 government-established 3.11 museums, this research explores the following questions: How do public disaster museums frame their representations of 3.11, and what official narrative is created within the cultural memory of the triple disaster in Japan? Drawing from analysis of the museums’ mission statements and exhibitions, and interviews with curators and museum staff, we argue that most disaster museums support narratives of overcoming hardships to contribute to a better future, showing continuity with narratives typical of other memorial museums such as WWII, or pre-3.11 disaster museums. In contrast to the commemoration of war and its influence on cultural memory, disaster museums have received relatively little scholarly attention. Yet, these forward-looking messages, combined with tendencies of museums to focus on local disaster experiences and emphasize disaster risk reduction with an artificial separation between man-made disasters vs. natural hazards, contributes to an othering of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in cultural memory, as an outlier in Japan’s long history of disasters. Without full representation of the compound disaster, understanding of 3.11 and the effective transmission of the intended lessons is severely limited.

What Caused Declines in Intertidal Invertebrate Populations around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster?

We discuss possible causal factors for the decline in intertidal invertebrate populations around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear disaster on the basis of existing knowledge about the effects of radionuclides and ionizing radiation on aquatic organisms. We found a gap between effects observed in the laboratory and those observed in natural aquatic environments, and discuss possible reasons why. Considering the complexity of the environment, we conclude that it is critical to evaluate the effects of ionizing radiation combined with other biotic and abiotic environmental factors, together with the life-history traits of the species examined, for realistic assessment of population-level effects. Finally, we present possible causal factors for strange or abnormal phenomena observed in intertidal biota near FDNPP, namely declines in population densities and number of species of invertebrates, delayed recovery from these declines, and continuous sexual maturation in the rock shell population.

Effect of the Seven Critical Elements on Life Recovery Following the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster

The purpose of this study is to compare the effect size of seven critical elements on the life recovery in three prefectures, Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, and Fukushima Prefecture, which were severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster. This study used the 2016 Tohoku Life Recovery Survey (N = 2111, response rate: 35.2%) for the analysis. The dataset was divided into each prefecture sample to compare the effects of seven critical elements on life recovery in the three prefectures. We obtained samples from Fukushima (N = 603), Iwate (N = 781), and Miyagi (N = 727). First, the distribution of life recovery by the three prefectures was confirmed. The results showed that those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster in Miyagi have a higher quality of life recovery. Finally, we compared the effects of seven critical elements on life recovery among the three prefectures’ models using GLM analysis. From the comparison of effect size (partial η2) and discussion, three points are shown. 1) In the Fukushima model, the effect size of physical/mental stress management and social ties was larger than in the other models. 2) The effects of 1) were caused by the experience of diaspora (nuclear disaster-caused displacement). 3) If forced diaspora can create good relationships with local people, the positive effects of social ties on life recovery for such people are larger than for those who have not experienced diaspora.

The closing of archives related to the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster and the acquisition of archival content by the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive (HINAGIKU)

The closing of archives related to the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster and the acquisition of archival content by the National Diet Library Great East Japan Earthquake Archive (HINAGIKU)

Industrial Reconstruction Projects and Human Resource Development Issues in Fukushima Prefecture

The current situation and issues of reconstruction and/or revitalization in the damaged region after the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster at 2011.03.11 and the accident of Fukushima Daiichi NPS are presented in the aspect of human developments for the future in this report. The Fukushima Innovation Coast Initiative aims to build a new regional industrial base in order to restore industry and employment in the eight towns and villages of Futaba district, Fukushima Prefecture, and surrounding areas, where were affected by the large earthquake disaster and the 1F NPS plant accident. I would like to introduce the progress of the INNOVATE initiative and the "Reconstruction Knowledge" project at this point, as well as the challenges of reconstruction and creation in the local community. The necessity and difficulty of employing professional human resources in the participating companies, as well as the challenges of fostering industrial human resources, and the role of mechanical engineering in meeting these needs will be discussed.

Indoor Fungal Contamination in Different Housing Types after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Flood Disaster

To understand fungal contamination in the indoor environments of the disaster region, surveys were conducted to detect mycoflora in temporary shelters, prefabricated temporary housing, private housing, and rented apartments in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The results from the surveys of temporary shelters indicated that the indoor-air fungal counts at all sampling points were less than 1000 colony forming units (cfu)/m3, which is the recommended limit for fungal contamination in indoor air. However, the Aspergillus counts were high compared to the indoor environments of typical housing. Since Aspergillus is a known allergenic genus, careful attention should be paid to residents' health. The results of the surveys of private housing and rented apartments also indicated that fungal counts were highest during the rainy season throughout the summer. In contrast, temporary housing had a maximum fungal count in the winter. The extremely high level of fungal condensation in indoor air may have been due to the high relative humidity and loss of heat insulation in the buildings' attics. It is thought that these problems happen most commonly in colder regions, such as the entire area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The case of a patient with allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis caused by a large amount of Eurotium herbariorum mold in his temporary housing was reported to demonstrate the health risks posed by fungi in this disaster region.

Radioactive Contamination Countermeasures, Food Inspection Systems, and the Issue of Reputational Damage in the Early Stages of the Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima Prefecture

This paper overviews the achievements and challenges of radioactive contamination countermeasures, food inspection systems, and reputational damage to agricultural products in Fukushima Prefecture during the early stages of the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear disaster. It outlines the effectiveness of early countermeasures such as absorption control measures and soil decontamination, and observes how efforts aimed at revitalizing afflicted areas were initiated and advanced primarily through the leadership of residents and agricultural producers. Furthermore, it examines food inspection systems such as the “all-bag-all-volume” testing system for rice that was implemented in Fukushima, and suggests that a failure to extend such countermeasures to outside of Fukushima Prefecture was a contributing factor to the ongoing issue of reputational damage and consumer reluctance to purchase products from the area. Lastly, the paper categorizes early consumer trends in four groups based on differing perceptions of risk and safety, and concludes that dealing with reputational damage should entail creating maps of radioactive material distribution, and also building a rational inspection system that allows consumers to objectively identify the safety of agricultural products.

Out of the Dark: The Challenges of Branding Post-Disaster Tourism Ten Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake

The act of visiting disaster sites by non-locals is often controversial, such as the promotion of so-called dark tourism or post-disaster tourism. After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster, the affected communities in Northeast Japan encouraged travel to the disaster sites as a way to support the region financially and pass on lessons learned in the disaster for disaster mitigation. This paper discusses how the promotion of post-disaster tourism through novel brands such as “Bosai (disaster mitigation) Tourism” or “Hope Tourism,” conversely emphasizes the positive aspects of disaster-related tourism rather than the “dark” or negative aspects. Drawing on ethnographic field research, analyses of tour descriptions and contents on websites offered by national and prefectural disaster tourism, participant observation at disaster tours, and interviews with local community members and tour organizers, this paper discusses the framing as well as the potential benefits of disaster-related tourism for local recovery and disaster mitigation, while exploring the challenges and burdens this form of tourism may inflict on the local communities. We argue that, despite the ethical challenges dark tourism may generate, confronting tragedies through dark or post-disaster tourism encourages visitors to connect with uncomfortable pasts, potentially helping to prevent similar tragedies from recurring as a result.

Two Major Elements of Life Recovery After a Disaster: Their Impacts Dependent on Housing Damage and the Contributions of Psycho-Behavioral Factors

Clarification of the individual factors determining the speed and quality of life recovery after massive disasters is crucial in assessing the vulnerability and resilience of individuals and communities. The research, however, remains in its infancy in that the index of life recovery per se is yet to be established; researchers have utilized different sets of variables, and their importance seems to vary across recovery phases potentially reflecting the change in housing situation. In addition, previous research on promoting factors of life recovery has primarily focused on demographic factors and inadequately addressed the psychological and behavioral factors, which has large educational and cultural implications. In this study, to address these two issues, we analyzed the survey data of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami disaster. First, from the multiple questionnaire items relevant to the situations of life recovery, we extracted the major elements by factor analysis and investigated their relationship to subjective sense of life recovery. At this time, we compared the relationships obtained between victims who lost their housing and those who did not. Then, we examined the psycho-behavioral as well as demographic factors promoting these life-recovery elements. The factor analysis provides two recovery elements: Well-being (health and social connections) and Housing Recovery (integrity of residential environment). The main determinant of subjective sense of life recovery was the housing recovery element for victims who had lost their houses, while it was the well-being element for those who did not experience housing loss. Among the demographic factors, a robust effect of income on the housing recovery element was identified in both victim groups while the effect of age and household structures on the two elements varied between groups. We clarified that different psycho-behavioral factors promoted two life-recovery elements. Across groups, contribution of leadership to the housing recovery element and that of neuroticism (negative), emotional regulation, and active well-being to the well-being element were identified. The former finding is consistent with the importance of consensus building in housing reconstruction, and the latter may reflect the role of common psycho-behavioral capacity oriented to individuals’ well-being including social aspects. The two life-recovery elements and their promoting factors thus identified may provide a parsimonious macroscopic framework for the evaluation and promotion of life recovery from disasters, and have practical utility for an educational approach to strengthening community resilience.

Special Issue on the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster: Part VI – Thoughts About the Great Disaster Now That Ten Years Have Passed –

A holistic and comprehensive perspective on society is essential to disaster research. However, at one time, the world did not have any scholarly journals that dealt with disasters from a holistic point of view. This situation gave rise to the Journal of Disaster Research (JDR), the first issue of which was published in August 2006. In principle, six issues are published annually, with special or extra issues also published in some years. The Great East Japan Earthquake struck in March 2011, five years after the first issue of the JDR. Following this incident, we decided to publish a special issue whenever there was a major disaster. All accepted papers and articles were to be published free of charge, in electronic format. So far, eight special issues have been published. Since this year 2021 marks the tenth anniversary of that disaster, we at the JDR have decided to publish a special issue of notes on the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster. The selected theme is “Thoughts About the Great Disaster Now That Ten Years Have Passed.” As an academic journal dealing comprehensively with disasters and disaster risk reduction, we asked people working in all disaster-related fields to submit, from their unique perspectives, their views or proposals in any area or subject regarding what changes have taken place, what has remained the same, or what is needed in the future. We have the twelve notes presented here in this Special Issue on the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster: Part VI. We hope that these notes provide seeds for further progress in the field of disaster research. Lastly, the editors would like to thank all contributors who submitted their manuscripts and the reviewers who provided valuable feedback with their constructive comments.