mation conveyance means including not only broadcasting and mobile phones but also that the Internet and social media should be used simultaneously to secure prompt, accurate information for residents, workers and tourists.

We must take note of the fact that the disaster indicated the importance of securing power sources for both the transmitting side (including base stations and broadcasting station equipment) and the receiving side (including mobile phone terminals and TVs). Meanwhile, Japan is required to diffuse the “public information commons” to quickly and efficiently provide such administrative information as disaster evacuation advisories and orders to relevant local residents through various media including the TV, mobile phones and radio.

## (2) Importance of mobile phones during disasters

Mobile phone terminals are rated high as familiar information terminals. At the time of the disaster occurrence and during their evacuation, most people in the disaster-damaged areas carried mobile phone terminals with them. But many of them complained that the impact of these terminals' prolonged unavailability was serious. An interviewee went so far as to say, "Measures for securing communications with mobile phones are more necessary than the enhancement of embankments." Interviewees also pointed out that mobile phone functions should be improved to allow emergency information to reach mobile phone terminals that people always carry with them.

Needs for mobile phones were strong not only during the disaster occurrence but also during evacuation. It could be said that discontent with mobile phones as information sending and receiving tools disappeared with the recovery of the network.

While the importance of mobile phones has once again been recognized through the disaster, mobile phone companies are required to enhance mobile phone networks' resistance to disasters and terminals' functions.

## (3) Securing ICT tools

Regarding needs for ICT tools in the disaster-damaged areas, we saw strong demand for mobile phones at evacuation centers and for TVs at temporary houses. Supply-demand matching efforts are required to secure supply meeting demand for these basic information terminals for people over a wide area forced to live at evacuation centers or temporary houses for a long time, as seen after the Great East Japan Earthquake. A majority of interviewees said no special consideration was given to elderly people at evacuation centers. The introduction of tablet computer terminals, etc., to give elderly people easy access to ICT tools has surfaced as a challenge.

### 2. Information behaviors and usage of ICT in neighboring areas

## (1) Importance of Internet-based information provision

The disaster seriously affected not only the disaster-damaged areas but also their neighbors including the Tokyo metropolitan region. Information behaviors of commuters in the metropolitan region indicate that they dominantly used TVs for obtaining information. They saw news sites as more important than newspapers. They pointed out that while it was difficult to obtain service on mobile phones, websites and personal computer E-mails were more accessible. Especially, information through the Internet was very useful. Meanwhile, social media, though attracting much attention after the disaster, generally failed to provide necessary information to commuters sufficiently. How best to make necessary information easily accessible through social media is a challenge.

## (2) Smooth provision of transportation information to stranded commuters failing to return home

Mainly in the metropolitan region, a large number of commuters were stranded and failed to return home on the disaster day. What these stranded commuters wanted for their return home were information-gathering goods, including portable TVs and radios, and batteries for mobile phones. This indicates that it is important to secure various information conveyance means and convey information accurately not only in the disaster-damaged areas but also in neighboring areas. After the earthquake-tsunami disaster, there were strong needs for information on railway, subway and road transportation services, suggesting that efforts are required to smoothly send such information. Such efforts are discussed as part of measures for stranded commuters failing to return home at a panel of representatives from central and relevant local governments. This summer or autumn plans to compile such measures to be taken on a big earthquake with its epicenter below Tokyo.

### 3. Business continuity and utilization of ICT in and after disasters

## (1) Addressing consciousness and effort gap between size groups

Given that the disaster affected business continuity in many cases, local governments and private enterprises both in the disaster-damage areas and others have grown more conscious of business continuity. Many of them have prepared and are considering preparing business continuity plans. However, BCP consciousness and