Natural hazard-triggered technological accidents (Natech) have occurred frequently in recent years. In Japan, Natech risk assessments have been conducted for large-scale facilities, such as petroleum complexes. However, no comprehensive risk assessments have been conducted for most of the facilities subject to the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) system. In addition, research on the extraction of Natech risks based on the National Risk Assessment remains scarce. Thus far, only a few Natech studies have focused on landslides, which are increasing in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to qualitatively extract Natech risks based on the characteristics of each PRTR facility located in the landslide hazard-prone areas. Using a self-organizing map, the analysis was conducted with hazards that the facilities may potentially have and the vulnerabilities surrounding them. The results showed that 321, 523, and 462 of the 1,306 facilities were particularly concerned about human health risk, ecological risk, and contamination of agricultural land, respectively. This classification and characterization of facilities can plot the locations of Natech-prone hazardous facilities based on each Natech risk on the map. Finally, the results indicate that this map can extract the facilities with particularly high risks, such as those located in the special landslide hazard-prone areas.

The amount of municipal waste discharged per person per day has been declining overall in Japan, but this trend is not always observed in some local governments, where charging for waste is expected. One of the challenges is how to obtain approval for the waste charge from the residents. Previous research on consensus building for a waste charge was primarily conducted around 2000, when the waste charge was initiated. However, a waste charge has been implemented by many local governments, and the impact of this neighborhood waste charge on the consensus building has not been sufficiently considered.

We empirically examined the effect of neighborhood towns on a consensus building for the waste charge. This study piloted to examine the case of the municipality of Aizu-misato Town in Fukushima Prefecture, through conducting a questionnaire survey on waste to the residents and analyzing the responses. Our results indicate that the information on the waste charge implementation by the neighborhood town would be effective for the approval on the waste charge.