User requirements on volcano information published regularly or extraordinary by Japan Meteorological Agency have been surveyed by means of interviews and questionnaires since 2001 fiscal year in order to grasp issues on the volcano information and to find keys to improve them. Questionnaire entries of the series of survey include that those asking issues of volcano information published during volcanic crises of both Usu Volcano and Miyakejima Volcano in 2000. This paper unveils the results of the series of survey targeting local govemments and presses.

After analysis of the series of survey data, users' expectation of unhesitating publishing volcano information in emergency is observed. Then, we identified the main issue on volcano information from viewpoints of local governments and presses as users of it; that many users find difficulties in understanding volcano information. According by the analysis of the series of survey data, we conclude that the difficulties in understanding are specifically caused by following contributing factors; (1) needs to be improved in usage of terms and ways of presentation, (2) insufficient explanation of volcanic information to users, (3) lack of interpretation and prospect about volcanic activities and (4) incomprehension of necessary basic terms for explaining various volcanic phenomena.

At the time of Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake which occurred on January 17, 1995, the damage occurred in large area in Hanshin district. The damage of lifeline for water supply facilities was serious. The interruption of water supply lasted in a long period from just after of the earthquake because distribution pipes and service pipes were damaged. On this account, victims were suffered from deficiency of water for drinking and domestic use. It was recognized again that water supply system is one of crucial lifelines.

The following studies with respect to the relief degree for earthquakes of water supply facilities were conducted intended for 446 cities with the population of more than 50000.

1) The level of countermeasures against earthquakes of the cities was quantified using two relief degree indicators, i.e., “intensity of water supply facilities (pipelines)” and “retention of urgent water”. Furthermore, the relief degree of the each city was evaluated from the civil life point of view.

2) Relationship between three characteristics which are “effect of water interruption”, “economic effect” and “social effect” and “intensity of water supply facilities (pipelines)” was discussed. Through the discussion, the relief degree of the each city was evaluated from the point, i.e., how the damage gives impacts on civil life.

This paper discusses public announcement in nuclear incidents, accidents and disasters, to ease peoples' anxiety for information.

A questionnaire survey was made to the local governments around nuclear facilities, which made clear that radio communication systems are already prepared in most cities and towns while detailed plans or model sentences for public announcement are not fully settled. Based on these present circumstances, the authors classified publication media and situation phases, and made a flowchart for public announcement. The authors also established the basic structure of announcement sentences, so that all needed information can be offered in a definite order. According as the basic structure, two types of model sentences have been created; 1) model for voice information that will be announced by using radio communication systems etc., and 2) model for detailed information that will be delivered through mass media. Some sample sentences were made from model for voice information, and evaluated by some residents to verify their adequacy.

Further analysis and practical use of model sentences should be made in future Nuclear disaster management drills. More diffusion of knowledge on nuclear disaster management to residents, and establishment of detailed plans for public announcement are also expected in near future.

For an emergency, a meta-level of decision-making is significant for controlling several organizations and extra decisions are made on the basis of information about stricken areas. However, in most emergency cases, gathering information is difficult so that each organization should consider whether or not assistant activity is required for the stricken areas. The paper proposes two policies for such the autonomous judgment to prevent omission error even when no aid request reaches the assistant organizations or circumferences. By comparing traditional request dependent policy with proposed policies in a mathematical model, we select the optimal policy according to judgement error rate and predicted damage.

For an example of assistant system, we focus on the mutual assistant system of the fire department for wide area disasters. Traditional system doesn't work till the fire department of the stricken area requests assistant activities through the prefectural governor. Therefore, we introduce two processes in assistant systems starting without aid request from stricken area which correspond to the above two policies, respectively. One is to start assistant activities on the basis of information from circumference and the other is to start on the basis of information about source of disasters. We evaluate them by Petri Nets simulation and shows that our proposed processes are effective in early starting fire fighting and in reducing damaged scale.

Consequently, we insist that integrated type of mutual assistant system containing the two processes is desired and that the process should be transferred according to obtained information.

The purpose of this thesis is to argue the compensation of “Image-Contamination (stigmanization)” as economical damage and its problem legally.

Generally “image-contamination” is said as "rumor damage: the damage due to the rumor" in Japanese. But ”image-contamination” means now the large amounts of reports of the environmental / nuclear accident or natural disaster make bud reputation no-polluted foods, products, and lands which are not dangerous in the area and make them evaded.

Next, it is argued that what poses its problem legally in compensation of image-contamination as economical damage and what political countermeasures are performed in Japan.

I propose the four countermeasures about compensation of ”image-contamination” as economical damage. They are (1) Establishment of the "authorization committee" by psychological experts and law experts which argue about the damaged area and the amount of damage, (2) Building the calculation method of the amount of damage, (3) Building victims' mutual benefit provision, and (4) Building the compulsory insurance system for every industry, as “compensation fund” of ”image-contamination”. And they should be established as system for volcano disaster, food contamination, or environmental problem of every industry.