09 Dec How Japan built a culture of disaster resilience
Written by Aysha Jennath
Edited by Sofia Juliet Rajan
Disaster resilience has always been close to my heart, so when I came across the opportunity to apply for the second cohort of the Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network (IPCN) on disaster resilience, I was beyond excited. The IPCN, coordinated by the Japan Foundation (JP) and Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), was formed to facilitate learning opportunities and foster networks among disaster management experts across the Indo-Pacific. It offers the chance to travel across the region over a year to learn firsthand about disaster resilience and I was thrilled to be one of the 15 selected for the programme.
Journey of Discovery to Japan
The first leg of the journey began in Japan, a country that leads the world in disaster management. Guided by Dr. Bryce Wakefield of the AIIA and Ayumi Takita of JP, we explored the layers of disaster management that makes Japan stand out.
We visited three cities significantly affected by significant disasters—Ishinomaki and Minami-Sanriku in the Tohoku region, devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, and Kobe, impacted by the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. In Ishinomaki, we interacted with city officials who guided us through the post- 2011 measures, including a tsunami evacuation tower equipped to hold survivors for a few days and a high-end disaster management headquarters. Professor Hideyuki Miura’s session on consensus-building for post-disaster recovery showed us their creative efforts to engage different generations in decision-making about relocating from coastal to inland areas, rebuilding communities, and easing the impacts of uprooting people by building connections between coastal and inland residents. This included bringing older and younger generations through tutoring sessions, social drinking sessions, and building a community gathering space.
I was inspired by the presentation by the NGO Fishermen Japan, which showcased how they transformed the fishing sector by revamping its image from “dangerous”, “dirty”, and “tough” to “cool”, high-income”, and “innovative”. Their initiatives included establishing a fishing school, developing an apprenticeship programme to bring in the younger generation, and making the boats female friendly, encouraging women to enter the field. I couldn’t help but reflect on how, back home, similar challenges persist, with the younger generation moving away from the fishing sector due to the same negative perceptions.
On the second day, we visited Minami-Sanriku, including the site of the tragic Okawa Elementary School disaster, where 74 of 108 students and 10 of 11 teachers lost their lives. The school building has been preserved as a memorial to the incident, its ruins standing solemnly in what was once a bustling town. We met the mayor, one of the few surviving municipal staff, who clung to the crumbling office building to survive. This building, too, has been preserved in memory of those lost. We also visited another memorial space that virtually captures residents’ voices, encouraging self-reflection through their accounts. In one particularly moving moment, we were asked to put away our phones, sit in the dark room, and reflect: “What if someone dear to you has been left behind, would you go back when the waves are coming in?” Although I have witnessed and personally experienced the aftermath of coastal disasters, it still stirred many emotions in me.
In Tokyo, we visited the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) headquarters, where we witnessed a live disaster alert drill, demonstrating Japan’s prompt and rapid disaster communication system. We also heard from the Cabinet’s disaster office and the Australian Embassy about their disaster preparedness. We also had a session with the NGO Peace Winds, which plays a key role in disaster response in Japan.
Our final stop was Kobe, where we explored long-term recovery patterns focused on maintaining preparedness, even decades after the disaster. We met with designers from KIITO, who have developed creative ways to engage children in disaster resilience. Their successful approach and efforts have expanded to other countries, with educational materials tailored to local contexts. Our final learning session with Professor Sakamoto, a distinguished researcher, provided a candid overview of Japan’s disaster management and recovery efforts, highlighting both successes and areas for improvement. Her insights tied together the valuable lessons we gained throughout the trip, bringing our experience to a meaningful close.
What Japan taught me about resilience
What stood out for me was Japan’s culture of memorialising disasters. Survivors believe it is not enough to have survived or mourn a disaster—something meaningful must come from the experience, particularly in preparing future generations to be more resilient. Revisiting painful memories must be incredibly difficult, yet many survivors shared their stories with us. Japan has built a concept called “bosai” or “the science that can save lives”. Japan’s growing foreign population are also included, using tools like “announcer drones” that translate evacuation messages into 29 languages. Local governments are also well-equipped with translation systems specifically designed for emergencies. NHK regularly broadcasts Bosai sessions for foreign residents. These efforts resonated with me, in a country as linguistically diverse as India, we often overlook the fact that migrants, due to language barriers, are a particularly vulnerable group. Japan’s efforts, despite being a mono-ethnic society until recently, is praiseworthy.
Japan excels in pre- and during-disaster management, but post-disaster recovery remains challenging. Many survivors had to wait years to gain access to temporary housing, and some have remained there for over a decade. Those who chose to rebuild independently, instead of relying on government-provided housing, faced difficulties due to limited financial assistance. Many families had to take on mortgages—a huge burden in itself—but in some cases, they were also responsible for paying off the mortgage on their previous home, which no longer existed, resulting in the crushing weight of double mortgages. Even government housing came with its challenges. The housing was offered at a reduced rent for 17 years, after which families were required to pay the standard rent. Both options seem unfair, failing to adequately support families in their recovery from such devastating events as a tsunami. The overlapping and often ambiguous roles of local, regional, and national authorities is also attributed to the delays and inefficiencies in recovery efforts. Increasingly, NGOs—who had limited roles in Japan historically—are stepping in to fill gaps, providing essential services and advocating for affected communities.
Building bonds across borders
A highlight of the trip was connecting with fellow network members, each bringing rich knowledge and diverse experiences. We represented various sectors of disaster management—researchers, policymakers, emergency managers, healthcare professionals, journalists, and experts in early warning and post-disaster recovery. This diversity allowed us to learn not only about Japan’s disaster policies but also how they could be applied in different countries and contexts. A recurring question we asked each other was “What are the biggest disasters in your area?” This often sparked deep discussions on existing gaps and how each of us is addressing them. Their insightful questions often sparked new ways of thinking about disasters for me. The passion for disaster management was infectious, leading to lively discussions that could have gone on forever, if only time allowed.
Our visit to Kyoto on the last day is one of my best memories. We eagerly experimented with Japanese cuisine, with a few adventurous souls sampling snake wine! Over the week, we danced, sang, learned, laughed, and shared emotional moments. While saying goodbye was bittersweet and we were sad to part, we were already looking forward to our next gathering in Australia. This programme has forged good friendships and invaluable lessons in disaster management; the depth of insight into Japan’s disaster management strategies was profound, a rarity even among many Japanese. I am excited to bring these lessons home to enhance our approaches to disaster management.