(Article)

System of Trust as a Basis for a Safe and Secure Society*
By KIYOSHI ABE, YU ISHIDA, TAKAYOSHI KUSAGO, KENJI KOSAKA,KAZUHISA SHIBUYA ,TOSHIHIKO HAYASHI, MAMPEI HAYASHI,and ARINORI YOSANO†

Keywords : safe and secure society, trust, happiness, region, Hyogo, natural disaster
Abstract
Quest for safety and security is increasing in our society. However, will the safer andmore secure society be attainable if only we succeed in solving problems directly? Does not thetrue crisis lie elsewhere? Are we still be able to believe in the solvability of the problem? If not,what sort of social system lies behind this insecurity. Isn’t it trust that is missing in relation tosecurity and safety? Without trust safety may not bring about security.
Thus the purpose of this study is to locate the importance of social trust in the quest forsafety and security. Moreover, if the quest for safety and security led to a stagnant society, or if
it did not enhance people’s happiness, it would be meaningless. Safety and security, though it
may merit as an independent value concept, need to be balanced against justice, fairness andequity consideration. For example, policies to enhance safety and security are often predisposed
to “surveillance society” and lead to fear, doubt and exclusion of others. Publishing a local map
for crime prevention may provoke people’s anxiety in return.
The study made use of an internet questionnaire survey and obtained 1000 samples
focusing on people’s subjective evaluation as well as objective characteristics of the panel.
Panel’s residential information was collected on the basis of postal code since it was expectedthat environmental and cultural regionality might define resident’s anxiety, concern and trust.

*This is an abridged and slightly modified version of the report, “System of Trust as a Basis for theSafer and More Secure Society,” HEM21, March 2007. For full version of the report, go to
http://www.hemri21.jp/kenkyusyo/seika/detail.asp?id=5006.
† Abe: Professor, School of Sociology, Kwansei Gakuin University; Ishida: Researcher, ResearchDivision, HEM21; Kusago: Associate Professor, Global Collaboration Center, Osaka University;
Kohsaka: Professor, School of Sociology, Kwansei Gakuin University; Shibuya: Director of PublicRelations, Minister’s Secretariat, MLIT; T.Hayashi: Director of Research, Research Division,HEM21; M.Hayashi, Researcher, Research Division, HEM21; Yosano: Professor, Faculty ofSociology, Kansai University. Affiliations are as of March 2009.

Main findings from the survey were as follows. 1) People who evaluate their locality as
safer and more secure than other localities tend to show a higher degree of satisfaction andhappiness, and are prone to believe that people are good at heart and trustworthy, and theirneighborhood is less exposed to environmental degradation, juvenile delinquencies and crimes.
2) Though it cannot be said that the people living in the area of higher safety and security tend
to trust the local government in normal times, but they tend to believe that their local
administration will be dependable in times of disasters. 3) People living in the area that washeavily affected by the 1995 earthquake tend to show a higher degree of trust to their localgovernment.
By means of the analysis of covariance structures, the study could also verify that thesubjective degree of people’s livelihood satisfaction is correlated with such elements as generaltrust, neighborhood trust, and the subjective belief on neighborhood safety and security. Also it
was found that the starting point of people’s general trust was the subjective belief that the local
administration would come to rescue for sure in times of emergencies such as natural disasters.
Another interesting finding was that many people who find their neighborhood
community relatively safe and secure tend to believe that the country as a whole was similarly
disposed. However, there are some who believe that their localities are safe and secure but thewhole country is not. Taking this possible contradiction between the subjective belief and theobjective conditions into consideration, the study gives policy recommendations on six fronts.

Citation:
Kiyoshi Abe, Yu Ishida, Takayoshi Kusago, Kenji Kosaka, Kazuhisa Shibuya, ToshihikoHayashi, Mampei Hayashi and Arinori Yosano (2010), “System of Trust as a Basis for a Safeand Secure Society,” Annals of Hyogo Earthquake Memorial 21st Century Research Institute,vol.14/15, pp.1-19.