Presentation Information
[SY-79-01]Awareness of Climate Change Issues in Japan, a Country Frequently Affected by Natural Disasters
*Misari Oe (Kurume University(Japan))
Keywords:
impermanence,climate change,awareness
Located in the Pacific Rim, Japan is a country prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and typhoons. Data shows that 17.9% of earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher occur in Japan. On the other hand, there are survey results showing that Japan is not at high risk from climate change related to global warming.In a 2023 public opinion poll on climate change, the percentage of people who are aware of the issue of climate change is high, and they are also aware of the heat in summer, but the perception that climate change affects flooding, etc. is not particularly high, especially among young people.Why is there not a high level of awareness of the effects of climate change in Japan?I will put forward three hypotheses: 1) There have been many natural disasters in the past and there is a sense that climate change is one of them, 2) There is a sense of the impermanence of nature that nothing can overcome (Hōjōki (1212)), 3) There is a mindset that if it can be scientifically proven, it can be dealt with.A sense of the impermanence of life may be a characteristic of the Japanese people, but it has both pros and cons, and in terms of preventing future disasters, it is a disadvantage.