Disaster Mitigation and Prevention Symposium 2025, Session 4

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Symposium 2025 (Session 4)

Tell Us About Yourself II: What Vulnerable Individuals Need to Know

Under this theme, we received talks from midwives, individuals with foreign roots, and people with disabilities.

Following that, group discussions took place, and my Group B discussed shelters from a female perspective.

We asked a student majoring in psychology to analyze the psychology at shelters from their academic standpoint and to share what kind of efforts should be made on a daily basis to prepare for that.

Building relationships where people recognize each other’s faces on a daily basis is crucial, isn’t it?

I truly felt that neighborhood associations, which are part of Japanese culture, are truly wonderful.

Currently, in Hino City, local disaster prevention associations have been established in each elementary school district, but two school districts have yet to achieve this.

Discussions also took place about the need to establish them across the entire area and to ensure female participation across all age groups.

Starting this year, general meetings for the Community Disaster Prevention Associations are being held. It was concluded that involving many organizations—such as the Medical Association, Dental Association, and Midwives Association—in these meetings and establishing a support system with the administration is a crucial step toward safety and security.

As a city council member, I realized that establishing this system is one of my responsibilities. It was a day of important learning that spurred me to take action.