From Hanshin to Fukushima: 20 Years of Researching Disasters in Japan

From Hanshin to Fukushima: 20 Years of Researching Disasters in Japan
David W. Edgington (Geography, UBC)
Monday, April 4th, 2016
5pm
Asian Centre Auditorium, 1871 West Mall, Vancouver
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Abstract: Is Japan distinctively prone to disasters? This presentation argues `yes it is’, and that Japanese society has come to terms with this by establishing a comprehensive approach to guarding its vulnerable areas – including strict building codes, public education, preparedness systems and the construction of special defences. This year, Japan marked the 21st anniversary of the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and more recently the 5th anniversary of the triple disaster of `3.11’ (otherwise known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, Higashi nihon daishinsai). Accordingly, beyond preparing for disasters Japan has lessons for the rest of the world in how it carried out recovery from these two mega-catastrophes.
Bio: David W. Edgington has degrees from the University of London, University of Edinburgh, University of Melbourne, and Monash University. He was appointed to teach the geography of Japan at UBC in 1988. David was co-editor of The Canadian Geographer from 1999 to 2002. He was Director of the Centre for Japanese Research, UBC, from 2002 to 2009, and is currently President of the Japan Studies Association of Canada. David is also interested in the geography of China and is Chair of the Geography of China Specialty Group of the American Association of Geographers.