Japanese Challenges Towards the Sustainable Society --the Recovering Process from the Earthquake and Tsunami, and Establishing New Industrial Relations-- RC10, ISA 2014 July 14, Yokohama Yamada Shuji, Bunkyo University

Abstract Re-integrate organizations and accelerate participation – Narrative and performance based activities the serious earthquakes and tsunami in 2011 – Japanese society had been damaged – the accidents of Fukushima nuclear power plant are still on-going Why is it slow? – Cooperation of concerning organizations – Cooperative mind

two distinctive changes for new Japanese organizational features – at a municipality and a community level – new organizational relations or conditions 1.excellent collaboration between fishermen and NPOs in Iwate prefecture – a NPO is proposing a cooperation activities – understand each philosophy of work 2.Citizens’ deliberation, mainly in Chigasaki city, Kanagawa – citizens’ participation toward local administrations – reconstructing community

Available Collaboration? Good collaboration – Available New Organization Model? – among/between Economic, Political (Administrative) and Civic level Backgrounds 1.Impact of East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Strong request for reforming our society 2.Recovery process Can we have new integration model(s)? – Beyond market, political and citizens’ failure? – Trigger and process? – Narrative/Story’s function? – Fruitful results?

Narrative Integration social function of Narrative/Story Polkinghorne (1988) Social function of narrative – Basic system for making our experiences meaningful – Organizing and Ordering (and Giving a meaning to) our experiences – To change our life meaningful Noie (1996) – Language system for handing down and sharing our experiences Shared experiences Experiences of community Integration through Narrative (communication) – How and why? – Perform and communicate

Why narrative/story? Communicational activities – Declare claim(s) Aggregation: common claim or request – Explain reason(s)（contents of the discussion） Relevant reasons Relevant interests – Explain feeling(s) Sympathy / Empathy Cognitive and normative explanations How can we do? – Experience(s) for communicational activities

Disasters in March 2011 on Newspaper Natural Disaster – Earthquake and Tsunami East Japan Earthquake – M8.8 (12/Mar., Asahi Shimbun) – Destruction in Tohoku Coastal area – Estimated deceased will be more than 10 thousand (14/Mar.) Social Disaster – Accident at Fukushima Nuclear Power plant of TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) Explosion in Fukushima – Explosion at Fukushima NPP (13/Mar.) – Leak of radioactivity (15/Mar.)

Case Study 1 Sanriku-town, Ofunato city, Iwate prefecture Sanriku town

Summary of this case Mutual understanding and cooperating process A)Cleavage between fishermen and leisure divers B)Earthquake and Tsunami as a trigger C)Volunteer activity: clean-up under water D)Step for Dialogue -- watching the activity E)Communication: understanding through narrative F)Cooperating deeply G)Accelerate recovering process Performance and Communication

Case Study 2 Citizens’ Deliberation – in Tokyo – in Chigasaki city etc. – More than 300 times Aims – New participatory culture – Sufficient communication – Utilize to decision-making Citizens’ Deliberation – almost same as “Planunkszelle”, “Planning Cells” – collaboration between local government and Junior Chamber (JC) Association – propagated by JC since 2005 – 2 styles 1.opinion collection 2.opinion integration

Deliberation process picked 800 citizens – Around 8% agreed to join – 36 joined, selected by ballot – 6 persons / 6 groups 1 day / 2-3 discussion experts’ information – Around min. group discussion – 60 min each – Decide a leader by group members – without facilitators – with scribe staffs (students) report session – 5 min each – leader’s explanation evaluation of the reports – by all participants

Comments on the case very shocking disaster – explaining many fears earthquake, tsunami, radioactivity, volcanic activity, energy supply, daily foods etc. autonomous? – still dependent onto local government local government always (and have to) take care for all – “waiting” attitudes decision-making through deliberation? – less experience to discuss – no formal process in local governmental level – sense of “our problems” from “my problems” some changes – need methods against natural disasters – awareness of “citizen” – needs for collaboration – needs for common goals time for system change – participation – collaboration – deliberation – decision-making merits of citizens’ deliberation – experiences – rules and limits – issue oriented – mutual understanding

Tentative Summary of Deliberation Trigger – Earthquake and Tsunami – good chance for improving social system – many citizens’ activities volunteer, donation, mental care, accept evacuated family, prevention etc. Educational meaning – Deliberation method helps citizens’ discussion – Common sense of problems – Role of citizen – Mutual understanding – Chance to collaborate – Understanding the importance of issues

findings How the narrative works – Good lesson and good experiences for citizens collaboration, discussion – Stimulus experiences re-think our daily life – Informal rules for cooperation – Relief situation through providing information reasonable results understandable & explicit importance(s) – Cooperative mind Making common goals Shared resources to cooperate – as “local commons” Performance based communication – Preparing process to discuss Communication patterns – Performance based Non verbal communication – Discussion based Verbal communication Limitations – Only 2 selected cases – Confirm traditional saying Traditional methods are still functional

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