Building a Method of Developing the Capacity of Citizens of Reducing Local Vulnerability to Disasters by a Workshop-Based Approach―Case Study of Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan―

Abstract

It is urgent and important to cultivate the capacity of citizens in reducing damage due to disasters, especially under the pressing threat of the Tokai or Tonankai Earthquake disaster. This study established a workshop program, which developed citizens’ capacity to mitigate and prepare for disasters in their local community. This program contains three workshops; 1)awareness of hazards and enumerating local vulnerability and possible damage, 2)listing objectives of disaster mitigation and preparedness of the region, 3)embodying a disaster action plan for the area. We applied this method to the project of increasing the capacity of disaster reduction by citizens living in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, Japan. The result was that they succeeded in producing their own disaster action plan. However, the awareness of extending disaster action to other people living in the same area did not increase.