Emergency Management is an applied management science based on American Public Administrative Science. In Japan, there is no concept of “emergency management” or discussion from a perspective of Public Administration or Emergency Management, even one year after the 3.11 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear facility meltdown in Japan.
At the IIGR 3.11 Eyewitness “Perspectives from the Ground” forum, attendees reviewed 3.11 regarding disaster agencies’ organizational behavior and examined the administrative and managerial issues with Fukushima first responders and specialists. The event was more than just a case study within Japan; we participated in sharing information, experiences and open discussion with the US Emergency Management community.
By sharing lessons learned in an executive summary of the forum, we hope our knowledge will serve as a valuable contribution to various countries seeking to develop or strengthen their Emergency Management capability.
From IIGR Fellows who participated as speakers:
“I found the opportunity to meet and interact with other fellows extremely valuable. It is very difficult in Japan to meet or exchange ideas with leaders in other areas. Being away from home and spending precious time with other fellows really made open and honest conversation possible.”
“It was the first time for me to speak to the audience in the U.S. regarding my experience in dealing with Fukushima nuclear disaster. It was extremely valuable experience for me, especially having realized the strong interests in this topic among people in the U.S.”
“I truly enjoyed the opportunity to meet other fellows and exchange ideas. It was such an extraordinary experience for me. I really appreciate the support provided by IIGR staff.”
