Recovery and revitalization to a mature society‒ In place of a greeting

MIYAHARA Kojiro
Director of the Institute of Disaster Area Revitalization, Regrowth and Governance/Professor, School of Sociology, Kwansei Gakuin University

I will take on the role of Institute Director following NAGAOKA Toruʼs retirement,
Professor of the Faculty of Law, who held the role for the past five years.
Since 2005, I was involved as director in the Institute of Disaster Area Revitalization,Regrowth, and Governance administration during the founding period. Later, I engaged inresearch on disaster area revitalization, regrowth, and governance at the institute. Theresearch focused mainly on the rehabilitation of people from disaster-affected areasʼ lifestyles
based on the concept of “human-centered recovery.” The proposal of, among other things,
the “Draft Basic Law on Disaster Recovery and Revitalization” (2010), the formulation of the“Draft Law on Comprehensive Support for Disaster Victims” (2019), and theimplementation/analysis of the “National Survey on People Seeking Refuge due to Nuclear
Incident” (2020) are representative results of that research. Active work is underway,
beginning with study groups on the “legal system,” “seeking refuge/evacuation,”“rehabilitation of Tohoku,” “international comparative law,” and the “sustainable regional© 2021 Institute of Disaster Area Revitalization, Regrowth and Governance, Kwansei Gakuin University

recovery and rehabilitation international seminar,” coordinated by Senior Researcher SAITO
Yoko. I want the research activities and network to be handed over to the next generation
based on the new research results.
While in recent years, earthquake disasters and torrential rain disasters have frequently
occurred in Japan, with the COVID-19 crisis, the entire world has been “affected by a disaster.”I think that the limits and problems of the modern and contemporary growth/developmentbased society have once again been demonstrated. While nuclear disasters have the same
origin, the abnormal acceleration in global economic competition has triggered thedestruction of natural ecosystems, and the excessive movement of people has increased thespread of viruses. Instead of putting our life energy into competing with others (other people,companies, cities, and countries and nature), we want to apply it to add originality andingenuity to our environment for enjoying a peaceful daily life.
The concept of “recovery and revitalization” from a disaster is once again being questioned
based on a new perception that does not necessarily consider population decline andeconomic contraction to be negative. What is being sought is the possibility and the task of“recovery and revitalization” that focuses on a mature society rather than “recovery andrevitalization” of the growth society. The coronavirus pandemic has provided us with a chance
to reconsider the state of our daily lifestyles. For instance, it has led us to appreciate nearbyparks and landscapes, which we have usually ignored, get into contact with nearby people, andbecome aware of our senses again. We can also rethink modern-day “regional recovery andrevitalization.” I think that the instituteʼs concept of “human-centered recovery” ought to befurther developed by incorporating social and cultural values such as “the quality of daily life,”“the richness of social interaction,” and “a sense of a calm happiness.”
I sincerely appreciate your continued cooperation, guidance, and encouragement for theKwansei Gakuin University Institute of Disaster Area Revitalization, Regrowth, andGovernance.
April 2021

© 2021 Institute of Disaster Area Revitalization, Regrowth and Governance, Kwansei Gakuin University