Citation

Abe M, Uchiyama T, Ochiai C. Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct. 2023; 96: e103945.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103945

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The 1889 flood disaster in Totsukawa Village, Nara Prefecture, damaged a large part of the village due to the formation and breaking of a dammed lake, and many of the residents decided to relocate to Hokkaido, more than 1500 km away. The purpose of this study is to examine long-distance collective relocation, which is currently often avoided, from a long-term perspective, the implementation of collective relocation and the gradual change in the cohesion of the residents after relocation, and to discuss the possibility of presenting long-distance collective relocation as an option in the event of future disasters. Based on a literature review and interviews, the study clarified the factors that led to the long-distance group relocation, which is shunned today, and the policy background of the time. It also clarified the administrative considerations that were implemented to ensure the continuation of life at the long-distance group relocation site and the cohesiveness of the residents, which changed over time. As a result, it was found that the relocation was carried out in a way that combined the Hokkaido development policy, which was recommended to secure farmland and residential land and to defend the northern areas, with the securing of residential areas for disaster recovery purposes and livelihood support, and that relatively good conditions were selected, such as the development of railroads close to the relocation site. At the same time, the government tried to distribute housing in the same way as it does today, so that as many of the original settlements as possible would be the same at the new location. The way in which the residents are united has also changed, and the unity of the hometowns has also shown flexibility in tolerating cultural and lifestyle diversity as they eventually mix with other communities through rice cultivation. Despite the distance of 1500 km between the source and destination districts, administrative staff and residents continue to interact with each other, and the social capital that can be identified between the source and destination districts continues to change its form as they repeatedly adapt to their society and environment over time and distance.

Language: en

Keywords

Collective relocation; Disaster recovery; Domestic migration; Flood