Abstract
This study surveyed the current state of school disaster education in coastal areas in school (elementary
and junior high schools) in three prefectures (Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima) affected by the Great East Japan
earthquake (11th March, 2011) in ninth year of the disaster by questionnaire and analyzed the data by comparing
among prefectures and between school types. The results of differences among prefectures showed
that the degree of the Nuclear Power Plant was larger in Fukushima prefecture than in Miyagi prefecture, and
in Miyagi prefecture than in Iwate prefecture, and the degree of reputational damage was larger in Fukushima
prefecture than in Iwate prefecture and Miyagi prefecture (no difference between Iwate prefecture and Miyagi
prefecture). Mechanisms of nature phenomenon (e.g., earthquake and tsunami) and mental health care
tend not to be taught in Fukushima prefecture compared with other two prefectures. The results of differences by school types revealed that elementary school teachers teach the facts and experiences of the disaster (e.g.,
the damage of the disaster, the story of recovery, the disaster experience, and the situation of the school area)
compared with junior high school teachers. Also elementary school teachers regard increasing the number of
children who do not know the disaster as a problem compared to junior high school teachers, but there is no
difference in mental health support to children and their parents between school types. These results uncovered
the differences of school disaster education in elementary and junior high school in coastal area in three
prefectures. Finally, this study discusses the importance and significance of a longitudinal study and a case
study in future research.
