single-dr.php

JDR Vol.19 No.1 pp. 113-123
(2024)
doi: 10.20965/jdr.2024.p0113

Paper:

Literacy for Disaster Resilience from “Downstream”: A Case Study of the Nankai Trough Earthquake Countermeasures in Kochi City

Kenji Muroi

Nagoya University
Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-0801, Japan

Corresponding author

Received:
August 22, 2023
Accepted:
November 30, 2023
Published:
February 1, 2024
Keywords:
literacy for disaster resilience, vulnerability, Nankai Trough Earthquake
Abstract

Disaster resilience is an interdisciplinary area of study. Collaboration between humanities and sciences is important to approach issues in this area. However, science and engineering consider disaster resilience as minimizing the scientifically estimated damage induced by natural hazards. In contrast, disaster resilience studies in the social sciences tend to focus on societal vulnerability. The views between the two disciplines can lead to inconsistency or contradiction. This paper discussed this issue. To do so, the author uses the case study focusing on the effects of predictions on Nankai Trough Earthquake countermeasures in Kochi City, Japan. First, this study revealed that not only the revision of hazard prediction but the historical background of land use development affected the large-scale earthquake damage estimation in Kochi City. Second, the upward revision of hazard prediction resulted in strengthening of community disaster management. However, it also accelerated residential relocation associated with class disparities. As a result, ironically, marginalized social groups were unevenly located in predicted tsunami inundation areas. However, such issues are not considered in the existing disaster resilience scheme and policy. Based on this analysis, it is argued that communicating scientific knowledge on hazards to society alone is not enough. Considering the local context, the perspective of literacy for disaster resilience from downstream’ is also important.

Cite this article as:
K. Muroi, “Literacy for Disaster Resilience from “Downstream”: A Case Study of the Nankai Trough Earthquake Countermeasures in Kochi City,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.19 No.1, pp. 113-123, 2024.
Data files:
References
  1. [1] T. Cannon, “What Must Be Done to Rescue the Concept of Vulnerability?,” G. Bankoff and D. Hilhorst (Eds.), “Why Vulnerability Still Matters: The Politics of Disaster Risk Creation,” pp. 68-88, Routledge, 2022. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003219453-6
  2. [2] C. E. Fritz, “Disaster,” R. K. Merton and R. A. Nisbet (Eds.), “Contemporary Social Problems,” Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., pp. 651-694, 1961.
  3. [3] E. L. Quarantelli (Ed.), “Disaters: Theory and Research,” SAGE Publications Ltd., 1978.
  4. [4] E. L. Quarantelli (Ed.), “What Is a Disaster? A Dozen Perspectives on the Question,” Routledge, 1998.
  5. [5] K. Hewitt (Ed.), “Interpretations of Calamity: From the Viewpoint of Human Ecology,” Allen & Unwin, Inc., 1983.
  6. [6] B. Wisner, P. Blaikie, T. Cannon, and I. Davis, “At Risk: Natural Hazards, People’s Vulnerability and Disasters,” 2nd Edition, Routledge, 2003.
  7. [7] G. Bankoff and D. Hilhorst (Eds.), “Why Vulnerability Still Matters: The Politics of Disaster Risk Creation,” Routledge, 2022.
  8. [8] R. I. Palm, “Natural Hazards: An Integrative Framework for Research and Planning,” The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990.
  9. [9] G. F. White, R. W. Kates, and I. Burton, “Knowing Better and Losing Even More: The Use of Knowledge in Hazards Management,” Global Environmental Change Part B: Environmental Hazards, Vol.3, Nos.3-4, pp. 81-92, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1464-2867(01)00021-3
  10. [10] Cabinet Office, Government of Japan (CAO), “Committee for Modeling a Nankai Trough Megaquake,” (in Japanese). https://www.bousai.go.jp/jishin/nankai/model/ [Accessed July 22, 2023]
  11. [11] CAO, “On Central Disaster Management Council, Committee for Policy Planning on Disaster Management,” (in Japanese). https://www.bousai.go.jp/kaigirep/chuobou/suishinkaigi/index.html [Accessed July 22, 2023]
  12. [12] CAO, “Working Group on the Nankai Trough Megaquake,” (in Japanese). https://www.bousai.go.jp/jishin/nankai/taisaku_wg/index.html [Accessed July 22, 2023]
  13. [13] Okamura Do-ken, “Submerging and Flooding of the ground of Kochi Plain,” (in Japanese). https://www.cc.kochi-u.ac.jp/matsuoka/nankai/25kochi.html [Accessed January 12, 2024]
  14. [14] Editorial Committee of Kochi City Council History, “Kochi City Council History,” Vol.2, 1970 (in Japanese).
  15. [15] Disaster Management Council for Zero-Meter Zones in Kochi City (Ed.), “On Disaster Prevention Measures in Kochi City,” 1971 (in Japanese).
  16. [16] Editorial Committee of Kochi City History (Ed.), “History of Kochi City: Modern Age,” 1985 (in Japanese).
  17. [17] Y. Fujitsuka, “Decline of City Centre and Urban Revitalization in the Provinces: The Case of Kochi City After 1995,” Proc. of the Annual Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers, Autumn 2007, S603, 2007 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.14866/ajg.2007f.0.151.0
  18. [18] K. Muroi, “Local Community Under Estimation of Huge Earthquake Damage: From the Case Study of Kochi City,” Social Analysis, No.43, pp. 45-62, 2016 (in Japanese).
  19. [19] A. Giddens, “The Consequences of Modernity,” Polity Press, 1990.
  20. [20] U. Beck, A. Giddens, and S. Lash, “Reflexive Modernization: Politics, Tradition, and Aesthetics in the Modern Social Order,” Polity Press, 1994.
  21. [21] “Increase of Office Relocation Inland in Kochi and Tokushima: Preparation for Nankai Trough Tsunami,” The Nikkei, October 4, 2012 (in Japanese).
  22. [22] “Minutes of the Kochi City council plenary meeting in September 15, 2020,” (in Japanese). https://ssp.kaigiroku.net/tenant/kochi/SpMinuteView.html?council_id=1625&schedule_id=4&minute_id=154&is_search=true [Accessed September 26, 2023]
  23. [23] “Drastic Population Increase and Decline—Living in Kochi Part 2 New Town Today (3),” The Kochi Shimbun, March 12, 2022 (in Japanese).
  24. [24] “Failure of Local Politics: Suburban Housing Complex in Crisis—Living in Kochi Part 2 New Town Today (7),” The Kochi Shimbun, March 16, 2022 (in Japanese).
  25. [25] “How Many Meters above Sea Level?—Living in Kochi Part 2 New Town Today (4),” The Kochi Shimbun, March 13, 2022 (in Japanese).
  26. [26] “The Third Wave of Condominium Construction Rush in the Prefectural Capital—Living in Kochi Part 1,” The Kochi Shimbun, January 8, 2022 (in Japanese).
  27. [27] Futaba Town Disaster Prevention Newspaper, December 23, 2017 (in Japanese). http://futaba-bousai.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2017/12/index.html [Accessed September 26, 2023]
  28. [28] G. F. White, R. W. Kates, and I. Burton, “Knowing Better and Losing Even More: The Use of Knowledge in Hazards Management,” Global Environmental Change Part B: Environmental Hazards, Vol.3, Nos.3-4, pp. 81-92, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1464-2867(01)00021-3

*This site is desgined based on HTML5 and CSS3 for modern browsers, e.g. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera.

Last updated on Apr. 22, 2024