2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
The integration of negative heritage in rehabilitation strategies in Fukushima Prefecture: Bosai Tourism and Social Services Improvements in depopulated regions in Futaba, Namie, Minamisoma and Soma.
| Project/Area Number |
19K23126
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| Research Institution | Tohoku University |
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Principal Investigator |
Gerster Julia 東北大学, 災害科学国際研究所, 助教 (90842716)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-08-30 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | disaster heritage / collective memory / cultural memory / DRR / education / recovery / tourism / museum |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Through ethnographic field research in Tohoku and primarily Fukushima Prefecture, participation in Bosai tours and interviews with city officials, tourism agencies, disaster survivors and tour organizers, I was able to gain an overview of different types of post-3.11 disaster tourism and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. From the interviews with mayors and other town officials, it became clear that social services improvements in the reopening towns from the former exclusion zone are still important aspects of recovery, but it does not seem to be the goal to become a role model for other areas. Educational disaster tourism, however, is an important asset to increase the non-resident population. Therefore, analysis concentrated disaster memory on museums and heritage sites as well as disaster theater and other activities to attract visitors by promoting disaster education. The findings were presented in several journal articles and at international conferences.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
Due to the ongoing Covid-pandemic, research plans were disrupted several times by domestic and international travel restrictions. Therefore, research activities focused on the Tohoku region, whenever travel was possible. International comparison could only be done online. However,I was able to participate in and analyze the contents of Bosai tours, disaster heritage sites and museums in the Tohoku region and I organized several online workshops with local stakeholders. Several book chapters and journal articles are under review, and some were published this FY.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
I plan to finish this project in F22 by comparing my findings from Japan to international cases of post-disaster educational tourism in the US and Europe. I plan to add cases of negative heritage preservation related to WW2 memorials in Europe to gain a broader perspective and find solutions to the handling of negative heritage in Japan.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic research activities that are based on travel could only be conducted to a limited amount and international research that is based on travel was not possible. With the restrictions being slowly eased, I hope to conduct international aspects of my research in FY22. If international travel is still restricted, as many research activities as possible will be carried out online.
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