A study on support for foreign tourists during disasters

Focusing on the potential of international students as supporters

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to consider the possibility of international students becoming supporters of foreign tourists during disasters, using an emergency drill in Asakusa as an example, and think about the support system to encourage such activities. As a result, it became clear that by experiencing being a supporter in training, students had a stronger wareness of the importance of mutual assistance, and many students were interested in acting as supporters during disasters. However, it was unclear whether they would be able to play an active role immediately after a disaster, due to the lack of a specific plan. Furthermore, their Japanese language ability and length of time living in Japan influenced the types of cooperation they thought they could provide.