Community Reconstruction through Mutual Assistance

Abstract

Reconstruction of communities through social bonds has become important for many thousands of Japanese displaced by the Great East Japan Disaster in 2011. Based on survey data, social bonds among sufferers have changed. The purpose of this paper is to inventory and clarify the common conflicts in affected communities (such as the post-disaster loss of confidence in neighbors caused by the disaster), and to explore the potential for community rebuilding, highlighting mechanisms for coping with community demise. The paper ties a case study of the disaster to previous studies of traditional Japanese mutual help networks including public aid, mutual assistance and private or self-help. Reconstruction of communities should be accomplished through a balance among the three kinds of help anchored by locally-provided mutual assistance.