Cooperative Project Toward Enhancing Citizens’ Disaster Resilience
Conducted by Japanese Universities and Mongolian Government / Academia
in 2014-2018
Abstract
After the recent large earthquake disasters, Japan now emphasizes the
role of universities in disaster prevention. Universities with expert
knowledge of disasters and prevention are possibly able to play the role
of linking the administration and citizens and supporting the
collaboration of the many related agencies. Based on this recognition,
since 2016, Nagoya University has actively built a framework for
collaborating with the National University of Mongolia (MUIS) and the
National Emergency Agency of Mongolia (NEMA). Nagoya University and the
Open University of Japan intend to share Japan’s experience on “how to
raise citizen’s disaster resilience” from the perspective of these
universities. After the 1995 Kobe Earthquake, Japan has implemented many
earthquake disaster prevention initiatives; however, in 2011, the Great
East Japan Earthquake again caused substantial destructive damage.
Although adequate measures had been taken, there is still a limit to
governmental measures to deal with huge earthquakes with low occurring
frequency. In countries where large earthquakes are possible, it is
essential for each citizen to strengthen their own buildings or to
endeavor to live in a place with good ground conditions and to ensure
that this becomes the normal way of life. However, interest in disaster
prevention often dissipates, and we are liable to repeat the same
mistakes. How can we enhance citizens’ disaster resilience? As
emphasized in the Sendai framework, one of the most important factors is
“cooperation” and universities could become the focal point of this
cooperation. Since 2002, Nagoya University, together with the
administration and citizens, has begun to conduct various disaster
prevention education projects in Japan. We introduce here the three
projects based on Geography, Cultural Anthropology and Environmental
Sciences, which were conducted within the period between 2014 and 2018.
1) Establishment of a Cooperative Center for Resilience Research (CCRR)
between the National University of Mongolia and Nagoya University. 2)
Organizing a public symposium for earthquake prevention by the Mongolian
Government and CCRR. 3) Initiating the Grass-roots Joint Project:
“Disaster Awareness Enlightenment Project for Large-scale Natural
Disasters Caused by Global Environmental Change in Khovd Province,
Mongolia” supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Through these projects, we want to determine disaster prevention methods
suitable for Mongolia rather than just utilize Japanese methods of
disaster prevention.