Final degree: Graduate School of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University (Ph.D. in Policy Science) Career: I served as a research assistant at the Ritsumeikan Global Innovation Research Organization, a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Policy Studies, Kansai University (concurrently), and a part-time lecturer at the College of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University (concurrently) before taking up my current post. At present, I concurrently serve as a member of the Institute of Disaster Mitigation for Urban Cultural Heritage and a member of the Research and Development Institute of Regional Information, both of which are instutes of Ritsumeikan University. I also served as a member of the Ibaraki City Comprehensive Plan Council and a member of the Toyonaka City Machizukuri (Community Building) Committee .

In disaster management, it is essential to ensure harmony between top-down decision-making by local governments in particular and bottom-up decision-making by local communities. At present, I conduct research mainly on bottom-up disaster management activities focusing on local communities based on three key points: (1) effective disaster management activities for those who actively participate in disaster management activities, (2) approach to those who participate in community activities but rarely participate in disaster management drills, and (3) disaster management education for children, who are future generations.

For those who actively participate, I conduct research on more effective disaster management activities and policies by combining local knowledge with scientific knowledge based on risk assessment, risk communication, and risk management.

For those who participate in local activities, I conduct research to enhance local disaster management capabilities by creating effective disaster management programs in local events and designing future developments after participation in such programs.

Regarding disaster management education, I develop and evaluate disaster management learning tools that help users imagine the situation in the event of a disaster. I conduct research to raise awareness about disaster management to cope with disasters in the future and encourage their actions for disaster management.

I hope to discuss with you the linkage and disparity between the logic of theories and the reality in the field from the viewpoint of Policy Science based on the theme of disaster management.

I have changed research themes from conflicts (undergraduate program), to social development (master’s course), to disaster management (doctor’s course and beyond). However, I have always focused on policies, namely, intervention measures, and the attitude to meet the needs in the field. Notably, conflicts, development, and disaster management are closely related to one another. The capability to observe society from various aspects is one of the features of Policy Science. Even if you change the research theme from that of the undergraduate program, you can gain a new, unique perspective in combination with the previous theme. This leads to novel research. I hope you will work on various research themes based on the discipline of Policy Science.

Natural disasters, local communities, disaster management education, resilience, gaming simulation, tourists