Understanding community attitudes and responses to tsunami mitigation infrastructure and DRR methods in Kesennuma, Japan

Japan’s tsunami mitigation strategy employs a multi-layered approach centred on physical defences, yet their effectiveness is often undermined by the government’s standardised implementation and limited community engagement and support. Non-physical measures aim to address these shortcomings, yet residents often receive inadequate or incorrect information on disaster risk reduction (DRR). The study focuses on Kesennuma, a fishing city in Miyagi prefecture heavily impacted by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). We employed a mixed quantitative–qualitative approach, combining online questionnaires with conversational interviews to capture measurable patterns and the nuanced, context-specific perspectives of residents. The results suggest that DRR communication has improved since 2011, leading to higher resident awareness of correct disaster response actions, although a concerning 25% of respondents still exhibited potentially dangerous behaviours during evacuation. High levels of dissatisfaction with tsunami defences were reported, with only 7% of residents stating they are satisfied with current measures, while also showing an insufficient understanding of the limitations of these defences. Beyond this, views on the reconstructed seawalls reflected contradictory attitudes, with many desiring greater protection yet simultaneously expressing dislike for concrete structures and holding mixed perceptions of their effectiveness. The results highlight the disconnect between government-managed tsunami defences, community perspectives, and DRR communication, demonstrating the need to integrate residents’ experiences and knowledge into both structural and non-structural preparedness strategies.