Article ID: R-23-012
“Anszen (safety in Japanese) and ansin (assuredness in Japanese)” are frequently used words in Japan regarding risk related matters. These words give simple expressions in explaining attitudes dealing with risk phenomena, for example, saying “anzen” is based scientific consideration to cope with risk, while “ansin” is based on heuristic sentiment, and hence lay people tend to make inappropriate judgment, necessitating to be improved by scientific education. However scientific judgment often includes uncertainty and ambiguity from incomplete understanding of the phenomena and lay people judge not only based on incomplete scientific understanding but take into account of socioeconomic factors and human relationships on the matters, etc. Taking examples of engineering risks, food safety and the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, this paper analyzes backgrounds and situations of “anzen” and “ansin” in these cases. Contrary to above mentioned belief that scientific literacy is compulsory for “ansin” judgment of the citizens, better “ansin” performance can be well established from mutual cooperation in daily lives among risk concerned people.
