Formulation of Dissemination Process of Phase-Free Concept for Effective Promotion of Disaster Prevention Education: A Case Study of Naruto City, Japan

During the Great Kanto Earthquake, fire ravaged the city beyond its firefighting capabilities at that time. This also applies to contemporary society. Today, as Japan is facing a declining birthrate and an aging population, resources for public assistance-led disaster prevention measures are also dwindling. We have experienced the limitations of public-assistance-led disaster reduction measures for numerous disasters; for example, the Great East Japan Earthquake. Following the background, in recent years, the concept of “phase-free” has attracted the consideration as a means of preparing for disasters that exceed the scope of our corresponding range. The purpose of this study was to formulate a process of disseminating disaster prevention education that is effective in terms of both children’s learning ability and disaster preparedness through an analysis of a case study on the application of the phase-free concept (PFC) to school disaster prevention education. In PFC, disaster prevention and mitigation considerations are integrated into daily life. In Japan, several companies and local governments have begun to implement this concept. This study is based on a case study of phase-free efforts in school disaster prevention education in Naruto City, Japan. Through qualitative surveys conducted from the stakeholders, this research is focused to answer the question “Why was the PFC able to spread in actual schools throughout Naruto City?” These findings indicate that the PFC helps explain Naruto City’s proactive approach to disaster management as well as explains actors’ dynamic participation in phase-free activities. Furthermore, the research findings suggest that the term “phase-free” has become a marker of the perception of quality (Merkmal in German) in disaster prevention that promotes collaboration among diverse stakeholders.