Hybrid Conference on „Memories and ‚Negative History‘: How to convey the 3.11 Disasters?“ on September 23, 2023 (JST)

Hybrid conference on September 23, 2023, 9 am to 5 pm (Japan time) organized by International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University.

Prior registration nessessary here. For more information please see here.

Blurb

While it is important to pass on negative history, there are many challenges associated with it. For example, it took decades after the end of World War II for kataribe activities to emerge and the preservation of negative heritage such as the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima to be decided. Similar challenges can be found regarding disasters, with the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster being a recent example. Some people want to convey the memory of the “3.11 disasters” so that a similar tragedy will never happen again. However, some people no longer want to see the damaged buildings that have become “disaster heritage,” and others may not want to relive their painful experiences of the earthquake through the stories of kataribe storytellers. In addition to the damage caused by natural phenomena such as earthquakes and tsunamis, the 3.11 disasters also had a major impact on society due to the damage caused by radiation from the nuclear power plant accident. Although often lumped together as the “Great East Japan Earthquake,” or “3.11,” it is necessary to recognize the difference between Miyagi and Iwate prefectures, which were severely damaged by the tsunami, and Fukushima Prefecture, which in addition was burdened with the invisible risk and stigma of a nuclear disaster. While there are many kataribe storytellers in the former, there are few in the latter, to name just one example. This symposium will examine and discuss the issues of memory and transmission of the 3.11 disasters, as a national crisis in Japan’s history. We will examine various concrete tools for memory formation and transmission, such as negative heritage, performances through kamishibai (paper plays), and digital archives of disaster-stricken areas.

Presentations