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Bounce Forward: Economic Recovery in Post-Disaster Fukushima

Author

Listed:
  • Hui Zhang

    (School of Public Administration, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
    Institute for Risk & Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK)

  • Chris Dolan

    (Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK)

  • Si Meng Jing

    (School of Public Administration, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China)

  • Justine Uyimleshi

    (Institute for Risk & Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK)

  • Peter Dodd

    (Institute for Risk & Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK)

Abstract

After the cascading disaster—earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident—in Fukushima on 11 March 2011, the Fukushima region is facing a significant reconstruction challenge. Contamination, economic downturn, depopulation, labor shortage, a damaged reputation, and public distrust must be overcome in order to ensure the future economic recovery of Fukushima. Based on field surveys of the affected areas and unstructured interviews with key informants such as local residents, government officials, and local businesses, this study analyses economic recovery in Fukushima. By exploring four key “pillar” areas of Fukushima’s economic recovery—renewable energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism—this paper gives an overview of how to rebuild industry in the shadow of nuclear pollution. The results show how the economic recovery in Fukushima has required adaptation and innovation by the local people, and the economic downturn has been reversed and subsequently improved. Across the pillar industries, innovative reconstruction projects have been pioneered and led by local residents and businesses. Fukushima’s industrial recovery has been facilitated by the efforts to make the livelihoods of local residents sustainable. It is argued that creative and sustainable economic recovery makes full use of people’s and businesses’ existing resources to transform the disadvantages caused by disasters into opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Hui Zhang & Chris Dolan & Si Meng Jing & Justine Uyimleshi & Peter Dodd, 2019. "Bounce Forward: Economic Recovery in Post-Disaster Fukushima," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-24, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:23:p:6736-:d:291604
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Dadakas, Dimitrios & Karpetis, Christos & Tatsi, Stevi, 2021. "Trends and Structural Changes in Japanese Post-2011 Agri-Food Trade Flows," Japanese Journal of Agricultural Economics (formerly Japanese Journal of Rural Economics), Agricultural Economics Society of Japan (AESJ), vol. 23.
    3. Kalfin & Sukono & Sudradjat Supian & Mustafa Mamat, 2022. "Insurance as an Alternative for Sustainable Economic Recovery after Natural Disasters: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Xudan Lin & Hong Zhu & Duo Yin, 2022. "Enhancing Rural Resilience in a Tea Town of China: Exploring Tea Farmers’ Knowledge Production for Tea Planting, Tea Processing and Tea Tasting," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
    5. Dimitrios Dadakas & Stavroula Tatsi, 2021. "Global agricultural trade impact of the 2011 triple disaster in Japan: A gravity approach," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(4), pages 937-972, October.

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