History of disasters in Japan: Resilience, Gender and Memory. With references to Latin America. 日本における災害の歴史 〜レジリエンス、ジェンダー、記憶〜ラテンアメリカの関連事象への言及

Abstract

This research looks into the disaster management system in Japan, configured and updated throughout the history of frequent and multiple events recorded in the territory —earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, typhoons or heavy rains— to determine the elements and actions that shape the country's resilience and the role that citizens play in this process, especially women. The study examines the national, regional and local response of Japanese affected communities through the history of disasters, analyzing the key role of women in prevention, response, evacuation and reconstruction, from 1923 Great Kanto earthquake until nowadays. Using a socio-historical approach, the research heavily relies on fieldwork in twenty communities reconstructed in Tohoku after 2011 triple disaster. It combines official records, archives and private documents with oral sources, based on interviews with testimonies, survivors and leaders involved in disaster management.