Article

Report on the first Osaka workshop on social sciences and humanities in the management of the recovery process after the Fukushima accident

¹ Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, The University of Osaka, Suita, Japan
² EIPM Center, The University of Osaka, Suita, Japan
³ Nuclear Protection Evaluation Centre (CEPN), Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
⁴ Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
⁵ NPO Fukushima Dialogue, Iwaki, Japan

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Received: 6 March 2025
Accepted: 7 August 2025

Abstract

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in March 2011 has left the people of the region with the task of rebuilding the lives of their families and communities, ensuring public health, and securing economic and social sustainability. The insights of the social sciences and humanities (SSH) have an important role to play in the recovery of individuals and communities affected by the accident. Sharing lessons and perspectives from the accident is essential for the recovery in Fukushima and for global future disaster preparedness. An online preparatory meeting was held on 25 May 2024 and the workshop was held on 26–27 October 2024 in a hybrid form to discuss the role of SSH in the recovery process after the Fukushima accident. After a brief presentation of the discussions held at the preparatory meeting, this article presents the main conclusions of the workshop as well as its possible future developments.