Abstract
The Great Hanshin Earthquake brought up many emergent issues. Particularly, how to organize and how to manage emergency shelters were serious problems. Because it was not until the earthquake that people noticed the importance of a long-range support for refugees, e. g., to assist mental and economic reconstruction. The role of emergency shelters had limited to the short-term treatment for the refugees, e. g., to provide minimum necessities of lives before we experienced the huge earthquake. The present study clarifies on the basis of an intensive interview for the leader of the shelter how “A” Elemetary School realized both a short-term or primary and a long-range or secondary support for refugees. The key to success was that the leader in “A” community with strong initiative took a role of the leader in the shelter and changed the organizing principle over time. It started from exclusive initative of the leader, and then close collaboration between the refugees and volunteers from outside, and finally a self-government by refugees with the assistance of a local government.
