This study overviews “the Pre-WBF Festival – Learning from the disaster, bridging to the future: held in partnership with the Science Agora” (the Pre-WBF Festival), and recounts its achievements. This was a cultural, admission-free public event, held as the opening event of the first “World Bosai Forum/International Disaster Risk Conference in Sendai” (WBF). The Pre-WBF Festival was planned primarily by academics with a view towards “passing on experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake,” “bridging the divide between academia and society,” “success of the WBF,” and so on. Parties involved in media provided advice on onstage presentations and public relations activity. The event, which had 662 participants from inside and outside of Japan, was a success. An analysis of the results of a questionnaire demonstrates that the participants understood the intentions of the event and reacted very favorably. Although participation of younger generations remains an issue, the Pre-WBF Festival is thought to be an effective method to connect academia and citizens. In addition, if such an event is held regularly, it can successfully pass on disaster experience in the future.

1. [1] World Bosai Forum (WBF), “About the Forum,” http://worldbosaiforum.com/2017/english/overview/index.html?id=About [accessed May 4, 2018].
2. [2] World Bosai Forum (WBF), “WBF 2017 Report,” http://worldbosaiforum.com/2017/english/report/ [accessed May 4, 2018]
3. [3] Kahoku Shimpo, “Preparation Committee will be organized for the 2nd World Bosai Forum to be held in the next fall, the final WBF committee meeting decided,” Feburary 2, 2018 (in Japanese).
4. [4] T. Katada, S. Kawashima, and H. Taguchi, “Special topic: local knowledge on disasters. Can human experiences save future lives?,” Tohokugaku Vol.03, pp. 44-72, 2014 (in Japanese).
5. [5] Y. Fujigaki, “Social Responsibility of Scientists and STS,” J. of Science and Techonology Studies, No.12, pp. 157-167, 2016 (in Japanese).
6. [6] Japan Science and Technology Agency, “Science Agora,” http://www.jst.go.jp/csc/scienceagora/en/ [accessed May 4, 2018]
7. [7] Y. Ono and N. Chubachi, “Passing on lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake to future disaster areas and next generations, based on academia-media partnership,” Center for Science Communication, Japan Science and Technology Agency and Incorporated Nonprofit Organization Natsural Science (Eds.), Weaving the future: ones bridging science and society, report of activities 2016, pp. 30-32, 2016.
8. [8] Y. Fujigaki, “Social responsibility of scienctists and science communication,” Theoretical perspective for science communication, University of Tokyo Press, pp. 257-275, 2008 (in Japanese).
9. [9] R. Shineha, “History and issues of sceinece communication: a review of discussions and perspectives in policy-making,” Seijo Communication Studies 27, pp. 13-29, 2016.
10. [10] Y. Fukui, K. Nakamura, A. Ishida, M. Imota, T. Furukawa, H. Park and T. Tanemura, “Planning and performance of science and technology drama to move the emotions of audiences,” Japanese J. of Science Communication, Vol.20, pp. 31-46, 2017 (in Japanese).
11. [11] N. Chubachi, M. Chikata, K. Ito, and F. Imamura, “Collaborative, science-based, public disaster communication - the NHK Media Technology 3D documentary movie on Japan’s 2011 tsunami event,” J. Disaster Res, Vol.11, No.3, pp. 413-420, 2016.
12. [12] The following link for the video: http://worldbosaiforum.com/2017/english/report/ [accessed May 4, 2018]
13. [13] The following link is for the minutes (in Japanese): http://worldbosaiforum.com/2017/report/index.html [accessed May 4, 2018].
14. [14] T. Sato, “Regarding disaster prevention culture,” J. of Natural Disaster Science, Vol.25, No.2, pp. 131-133, 2006 (in Japanese).
15. [15] Y. Noguchi, “Dr. “NADARE”nger presents scientific experiments on natural Disaster,” Tenki, Vol.62, No.7, pp. 583-587, 2015 (in Japanese).
16. [16] S. Kawashima, “Manners to live with the sea: conception of disasters learned from fisherpeople,” Fuzambo Int., 2017 (in Japanese).
17. [17] IRIDeS, Tohoku University, “How have the disaster survivors thought of the dead and passed on their experiences? (Academic Research by Prof. Shuichi Kawashima),” IRIDeS NEWs 2017, p. 5, 2017.
18. [18] F. Imamura, “Chair’s Summary,” http://worldbosaiforum.com/2017/english/report/files/chair’s_summary_en.pdf [accessed May 19, 2018]