When disaster strikes, everyone is left to choose his own action for avoiding danger, that is, “danger-avoidance action”. Most people, however, have no experience with disaster scenarios or perhaps even appropriate knowledge of what to do in the event of one. As such, it proves difficult to act decisively. Moreover, it is bounded information that they can receive for the disaster. This is the main reason that appropriate danger-avoidance actions should be based on expert recommendations and scientific findings in conjunction with government guidelines.

In 1999, several people camping near Kurokura River were swept away by a flash flood after ignoring earlier warnings. In the same year, the nuclear fuel processing factory in Tokai-mura experimented its “criticality” accident, with the people there left frightened and unsure since no information as to what had happened was provided and the announce to take refuge had been greatly delayed. How could the appropriate danger-avoidance actions have been selected more quickly? This article focuses on the failures in communication that can occur between administrative organizations, as well as the release of inadequate information, and shows that there are problems that need to be addressed in the communication process and decision-making process within government organizations.

After showing that current crisis-management systems contain potential factors for failures in communication, we propose a new type of information supporting system to induce the appropriate danger-avoidance actions. The system would immediately provide scientific information; supply administrative indications with the explanation as to how the judgement was arrived at; and deliver an inter-communication channel for experts. We believe that this information supporting system would prove invaluable in helping to avoid as well as deal with future disaster scenarios and that Internet system would be most effective for conducting this type of system.

The authors present an examination on the construction of the disaster information network by the general constructors in Shimane. To promote CALS/EC for construction, we established a joint study group representing industry, government and academics with respect to construction in 2000, and we have been working together since then.

In this study, two investigations are carried out in cooperation with the study group. First, the demonstration is carried out based on the disaster prevention agreement between the Shimane Prefecture and the Associated General Constructors in Shimane. Second, a questionnaire survey is carried out by the enterprise which participated in the demonstration. These purposes are to name many problems in constructing the disaster information network by constructors using CALS/EC network and to grasp actual conditions of information network for CALS/EC in the general constructors.

Through two investigations, we have confirmed the possibility of the disaster information network by the general constructors but there are some problems for the construction of the network.

The purpose of this thesis is to argue the fact of “Image-Contamination (stigmanization)” and its mechanism. Generally it is said as "rumor damage: the damage due to the rumor" in Japanese.

It is argued that "Image-Contamination" is the term which had been used with radioactivity relations from the early stage. And it means now the large amounts of reports of the environmental/nuclear accident or disaster make bud reputation no-polluted foods, products, and lands in the area and make them evaded. And it is point out that "Image-Contamination" is "the economical damage that the area where there are rumors suffered" that it was not "the economical damage due to the rumor".

Next, It is explained the Image-Contamination goes through the following process.

(1) Economical damage is done at the moment market participants and dealers think "people worry whether foods or goods in the area where the accident or disaster occurred are dangerous or not." or "The people don't buy those goods." (2) Image-Contamination is done at the moment when people concerned, scientists, and commentators think "economical damage", "people's worry", or "people's bad reputation." It is, as it were, "damage by imagination (not reality)" at this moment. (3) It becomes "Image-Contamination" then recognized socially when (a) the fact of the economical damage, (b) the people concerned, scientists, commentators, and market participants' recognition of people's psychology, and (c) "street interview on TV news" are reported. (4) Most people except for local people around the place where accidents occurred recognize "foods or goods in the area is dangerous." and don't buy those goods by the large amounts of reports. Then image becomes reality; the people concerned and market participants' recognition of people's psychology and consumption behavior become reality.