Letter:
Development of a Radiation/Nuclear Disaster Prevention Local Awareness Activity Model for the Disaster Prevention Advisers, “Bousaisi,” in Japan
Mika Sato*1, , Isamu Amir*2 , Toshiaki Muramoto*3, Mari Yasuda*3, Ryo Saito*3 , Takashi Ohba*4, Naomi Ito*2 , Atsushi Nakano*5, and Masaharu Tsubokura*2
*1Department of Health Nursing of International Radiation Exposure, Graduate School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University
1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
Corresponding author
*2Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University
Fukushima, Japan
*3International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
Sendai, Japan
*4Department of Radiological Sciences, Fukushima Medical University
Fukushima, Japan
*5Japan Bousaisi Organization
Tokyo, Japan
Thirteen years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. The lessons learned from the FDNPP accident were that a lack of knowledge about radiation, insufficient information, and inadequate crisis communication led to increased radiation anxiety, reputational damage and disaster-related deaths; however, these issues still remain unsolved. To minimize disaster damage, preventive measures, such as formulating appropriate action plans (including for evacuation) during an emergency, should be implemented in advance. In Japan, the Bousaisi (disaster prevention advisers) qualification system commenced in 2003 and is expected to play an active role in disaster prevention and mitigation activities in local communities. However, the role of Bousaisi in a radiation disaster is not clear. Therefore, in this paper, we aim to clarify the role of Bousaisi in local radiation-related disaster prevention and describe the steps to construct a “Radiation Disaster Prevention and Local Awareness Activity Model.” With the correct knowledge about radiation and by promoting appropriate radiation risk communication, Bousaisi can contribute to preventing disaster-related deaths and reducing reputational damage.
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