Publication

06 February 2017

Recovery postponed: The long-term plight of people displaced by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear radiation disaster

Recovery postponed: The long-term plight of people displaced by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear radiation disaster

2016 marked the halfway point in the ten-year timeframe for reconstruction set by the Japanese government following the devastating “Great East Japan Earthquake” disaster that struck on 11 March 2011. Recovery continues for approximately 134,000 evacuees who remain displaced almost six years later. This case highlights the importance of addressing the profound social and psychological consequences of displacement in order to reduce the impacts associated with prolonged and protracted displacement particularly for vulnerable older people.

This is the first in a series of case studies addressing a significant gap in awareness and knowledge about people caught in protracted and chronic displacement situations in the context of disasters and environmental change. This evidence is needed to inform policy commitments to “leave no-one behind” and “reach the farthest behind first” through sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and the protection of human rights.

A summary of the case study is available here