2015 年 45 巻 4 号 p. 419-433
Kesennuma City, located in Miyagi Prefecture, area affected by the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami (2011), have developed construction plans to build giant seawall barriers for protection. The majority of the residents in Kesennuma City have accepted the current construction plans. However, in the Koizumi City, some residents are against the construction of the walls and have proposed alternate plans to protect the landscape and ecosystem of the seaside. This has subsequently caused conflicts between the local government and residents.
In this study, household surveys were conducted in Kesennuma in 2014 (N=150). Using a cost benefit analysis and employing a mean-structure model, we identified factors that lead residents to agree or disagree with the construction of seawalls. The results showed residents in Koizumi District have a keen ‘awareness of risk prevention’ the walls can provide, while residents in Kesennuma City do not share the same consciousness (Kesennuma:mean=0, Koizumi:mean=.23, p<.001). Consciousness of environmental preservation negatively affect decisions to construct the current seawall plan (Kesennuma:r=－.47, Koizumi:r=－.87, p<.001). These factors may negatively affect the ability to create community consensus for higher seawall construction. Koizumi District showed significantly stronger disagreement than Kesennuma.
In conclusion, this study identified that residents have a keen awareness of environmental conservation and aspire to incorporate an eco-friendly construction plan for the seawalls. However, there also exists an unfavorable community environment in which residents feel it is difficult to express their opinions. Enhancing consciousness of environmental preservation, may make it possible to achieve community consensus and choose an alternative eco-friendly plan.
JEL Classifications:C3, D1, R2, Q5
