A comparison of trust between ordinary residents and those most affected by the red clay issue in Okinawa: Determinants of trust and acceptance of environmental policy

Abstract

In the present research we compared trust in risk managers between ordinary residents and local fishermen who suffered damage from the red clay which flows into the sea from Ginoza village in Okinawa. We hypothesized that the group most concerned with the environmental issue would trust a risk manager who seemed to share the same values, while the general public would trust a risk manager who seemed to be competent and honest. Two hundred and thirty-three ordinary residents and 72 members of a fishing cooperative participated in the questionnaire survey. The results of multiple regression analyses largely supported the hypothesis. In addition, the relationship between trust and policy acceptance was found to be stronger for ordinary residents than the concerned group. Implications of these findings on the practice of risk management were discussed.