Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the Council for Science and Technology reviewed the national earthquake and volcano observation and research program and concluded that, in addition to predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, comprehensive multidisciplinary research should be promoted to apply scientific knowledge to disaster mitigation. Based on this review, the Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program (2014–2018) emerged as a multidisciplinary initiative involving seismologists, volcanologists, engineers, and humanities and social scientists. This program has generated outcomes such as clarifying disaster processes through interactions among hazards and natural and social vulnerabilities. The importance of literacy for disaster resilience was recognized, and related research was advanced under the Second Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program (2019–2023). These findings were compiled in a special issue of the Journal of Disaster Research (Vol.19, No.1) in 2024. Research on literacy for disaster resilience continues under the Third Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program (2024–2028) and this special issue presents initial results from that program. This special issue focuses on disaster management processes and includes eight papers and two survey reports from multidisciplinary fields that examine the types of knowledge and abilities required at each phase of disaster management, as well as the ways in which these capacities can be developed through collaboration among scientists, education and disaster response experts, policy makers, and community members. These studies emphasize literacy as a means of embedding scientific knowledge in society and linking theory and practice to fortify disaster resilience. The analyses primarily draw on earthquake-related events such as the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the 2018 Kumamoto Earthquake, the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, and the anticipated Nankai Trough earthquakes. The collection opens with a survey report by Sawada et al. on the time gap between emergency information dissemination and evacuation behavior, followed by psychological and neuroscience-based examinations of relationships between early disaster warnings, crisis perception, and evacuation decision-making by Ohtomo et al. and Chen et al., respectively. These contributions highlight a central challenge in the emergency phase: how individuals receive risk information and translate it into appropriate actions. During the disaster response phase, Komatsubara and Inoguchi identify critical tacit knowledge related to post-earthquake damage assessment that facilitates housing reconstruction support at the governmental level in Japan, while Kimura et al. apply the life recovery calendar method to evaluate how response efforts contribute to rebuilding affected lives. In the post-disaster phase, transmitting lessons learned to future generations represents a major challenge in advancing literacy for disaster resilience, as demonstrated by Hamatsu and Takeuchi through school-based disaster education initiatives. These efforts should progress alongside the development of information tools, such as the digital archive proposed by Uchiyama et al. Finally, in the preparation phase, Muroi et al. examine disaster prevention measures for future events through the lens of community development and sustainability. This phase also underscores the need to foster practical knowledge for disaster risk reduction, as shown by Nagata et al. in their analysis of risk perception among schoolteachers with key roles in disaster management, and by Shirokane et al. through participatory learning initiatives that enhance locality-based understanding.
We are pleased to publish the special issue of IRIDeS Research, “Collective Intelligence on Disaster Science 2025.” The research and practices of IRIDeS are to gain the knowledge and implications derived from disasters and exploit them towards resilient society. The goal of disaster science and its practices are to prevent and reduce exposure to hazards and vulnerability to disasters, strengthen preparedness for response and recovery, and thus resilience, through the implementation of integrated and comprehensive economic, structural, social, cultural, educational, environmental, and technological measures to prevent new disaster risks and mitigation of existing risks. Accumulation of scientific evidence and knowledge produced in diverse research of IRIDeS researchers will lead an emergence of “collective intelligence” as consequences of collaboration and collective efforts of many individuals and their teams. This special issue consists of five papers. I hope these new outcomes will promote the development of resilient and sustainable society against all hazards. As an editor of this issue, I would like to express our deep gratitude for the insightful comments and suggestions made by the reviewers and the members of the editorial committee.
I am deeply honored to receive the MURAKAMI Suminao Award for Disaster Research. The word “disaster” derives from “dis” and “astro.” To effectively address disasters, a comprehensive perspective and a high level of scholarly expertise are indispensable. This becomes clear if, for example, we consider how to respond to the fires that follow earthquakes. It is not easy to adopt a broad perspective at the same time as thinking deeply and analytically. Nevertheless, it must be done. In the hope for a periodical publication that treats disasters in a truly comprehensive manner, I was led to Suminao Murakami. At the time, our relationship was limited to exchanging business cards. Suminao Murakami could not be adequately described by a single title, such as researcher, educator, entrepreneur, designer, critic, or urban planner. He was, quite simply, “Suminao Murakami,” and no honorific was necessary. When Suminao Murakami agreed to take on the role of a leader, the Journal of Disaster Research (JDR) was established. Suminao Murakami’s philosophy, while refined in response to the evolving nature of society, has been carried forward by figures such as Haruo Hayashi (Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University) and Shunichi Koshimura (Professor, Tohoku University). Therefore, there is no doubt that the JDR will continue to develop and flourish in the coming years. Katsuki Takiguchi January 5, 2026 We are honored that our paper “Promoting Education for Disaster Resilience and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction” has been selected as one of the most downloaded papers in the Journal of Disaster Research for 2025. We sincerely thank the readers and the editorial board for their interest in this study. This study was conducted in the context of the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) in 2015. During the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction in the 1990s, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995 marked a critical turning point, from which Japan’s disaster education and international disaster risk reduction (DRR) frameworks evolved in tandem. Situating Japan’s experience within this shared historical trajectory, this paper examined how education and schools have been progressively positioned within international DRR frameworks and how the SFDRR can be interpreted from the perspectives of education and school safety. A central argument was that protecting lives during disasters cannot be achieved through education targeting individuals alone. Rather, the effectiveness of disaster education depends on supportive institutional and policy environments and cross-sectoral collaboration in practice. Safe buildings, appropriate site selection, evacuation planning, drills, disaster education, and close coordination between education stakeholders and local disaster management authorities are all essential conditions that enable effective disaster education. The SFDRR reflects this integrated understanding by embedding education within the entire disaster management cycle and by explicitly addressing the protection of educational facilities as a global indicator. As the SFDRR approaches 2030, with two-thirds of its implementation period already completed, we are pleased that this paper has attracted renewed attention. Finally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude once again. We hope to continue contributing to this field by conducting future research that advances international dialogue on strengthening disaster education through systemic and collaborative approaches to protect lives and build disaster-resilient communities. Aiko Sakurai and Takeshi Sato January 7, 2025 I am deeply honored to receive the JDR Award for the Most Contributory Reviewer 2025 for the third consecutive year. In 2025, the world was once again struck by numerous disasters. These included the extreme heatwave in Europe in July; large-scale flooding in Texas, USA; the collapse of a landslide dam in Taiwan in September; and severe typhoons and heavy rains across Southeast Asia, affecting the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, in November. The events of this past year have been a strong reminder that we have entered an era of profound and escalating environmental extremes, which UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned us of in 2023 in referencing “global boiling.” Furthermore, earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan, major wildfires in North America and South Korea, and a tragic high-rise residential fire in Hong Kong have claimed many lives. Japan has also faced a range of serious hazards, including subduction-zone earthquakes that have triggered tsunami advisories, record-breaking rainfall, and large-scale fires in both wildland and densely built-up areas. Moreover, we are witnessing an intensifying pattern of “compound crises” in which natural hazards intersect with societal risks. These include road collapses due to aging infrastructure, business disruptions from cyberattacks, increased human–wildlife conflicts (specifically bear encounters), and heightened geopolitical tensions. In this context, I am convinced that the societal value of JDR—an international journal that comprehensively addresses disaster risk reduction and crisis management—is greater than ever. Peer reviewing offers me the privilege of engaging with diverse insights from around the globe, serving as a vital opportunity for my academic growth. It is a source of pride to contribute, however modestly, to disseminating these research outcomes to the world through JDR. I sincerely wish the journal continued growth and success, and I remain committed to supporting its mission in the years ahead. Thank you very much for this prestigious honor. Reo Kimura January 7, 2026
We are pleased to announce that the MURAKAMI Suminao Award for Disaster Research and the JDR annual awards (the JDR Award for the Most Cited Paper, the JDR Award for the Most Downloaded Article, and the JDR Award for the Most Contributory Reviewer) of 2025 have been decided by the JDR Editorial Board. The award ceremony was held on December 26, 2025 at Jyosuikaikan Hall, Tokyo, Japan. We congratulate the winners and sincerely wish for their future academic and professional success. It is our great honor to present the 2025 JDR Award, the MURAKAMI Suminao Murakami Award for Disaster Resarch 2025, to Professor Katsuki Takiguchi, Emeritus Prof. of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Prof. Takiguchi, together with the late Prof. Suminao Murakami, was instrumental in founding the Journal of Disaster Research (JDR). He helped define its mission, establish its interdisciplinary vision, and build a rigorous editorial and peer-review system. As long-serving Editor-in-Chief, he strengthened scientific quality, expanded international engagement, organized influential special issues and mentored young researchers. Under his leadership, JDR matured into a respected international journal. His scholarly contributions span structural engineering and disaster risk reduction. His work on composite and reinforced concrete structures, including concrete material behavior, nuclear facility safety, and urban disaster mitigation, has been widely influential. His interdisciplinary work bridging engineering and information science has further enriched the academic foundation of JDR. Prof. Takiguchi is also widely respected for his integrity, fairness, and collaborative leadership. His ability to unite researchers across disciplines has been central to JDR development as a cross-disciplinary forum for disaster research. In recognition of these distinguished contributions, we proudly present the 2025 MURAKAMI Suminao Award to Prof. Katsuki Takiguchi.
Long COVID has emerged as a persistent health challenge, particularly among older adults. Its diverse symptoms often affect physical, psychological, and social well-being, making effective management strategies essential. This study aims to explore the symptoms experienced by older adults with Long COVID, examine their impact on daily life, and identify the strategies employed for symptom management within a community setting. A phenomenological design was applied. Data were collected between January and April 2024 through in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 14 older adults with Long COVID residing in a rural community in Thailand. Content analysis was used to interpret the data. Six categories of symptom experiences were identified: (1) neuropsychiatric (insomnia), (2) sensory (ageusia), (3) musculoskeletal (muscle pain), (4) upper respiratory (cough), (5) lower respiratory (dyspnea), and (6) general symptoms (fatigue). To manage these symptoms, older adults reported strategies including praying and taking medication for insomnia; using supplements for ageusia and fatigue; taking Thai herbs for muscle pain and cough; and using oxygen therapy, breathing exercises, lung exercises, and rest for dyspnea. Older adults with Long COVID experience multiple symptom categories and employ diverse management strategies that combine traditional and modern approaches. These findings emphasize the importance of personalized clinical care and the integration of cultural and alternative remedies in supporting older adults with Long COVID.
