【Report】 Saving Lives, Protecting Livelihoods #5: The Power of Evacuation Shelter Support —Aiming for Places Where We Can Support Each Other Through Connections—
Protecting Lives, Supporting Daily Living #5: The Power of Evacuation Shelter Support – Aiming for Shelters that Connect and Support Each Other
On November 18, 2025, the Ushi-Oni Conference workshop, "Protecting Lives, Supporting Daily Living #5: The Power of Evacuation Shelter Support – Aiming for Shelters that Connect and Support Each Other," was held in the large conference room of the Uwajima City Hall. Despite being a weekday, many participants attended, both from within and outside the city, as well as online, making it a valuable opportunity for multifaceted learning about evacuation shelter operations.
Opening Remarks and Explanation of Purpose
Noriko Yakushijin (Representative Director, Uwajima NPO Center) gave an opening address, reflecting on experiences from the West Japan Floods and looking ahead to the Nankai Trough mega-earthquake, stating, "I want this to be a place where we can collectively consider what we can do, both as evacuees and as supporters."
Miyuki Hirata (Director, Uwajima City Citizen and Environment Department, reading the Mayor's message) expressed expectations for improving the quality of life in evacuation shelters and the city's intention for continued collaboration.
1️⃣ Case Report: Evacuation Shelter Operations at Yoshida Community Center during the West Japan Floods
Yusuke Kaji (then Administrator of Yoshida Community Center and Firefighter) reported on the operation of the evacuation shelter during the floods. He shared the realities of on-site response, including the decision to move the shelter from the first to the second floor in anticipation of flooding, creating an evacuee register, procuring supplies, and coordinating meal services in collaboration with the community.
- Responding to the rapid increase and confusion of evacuees
- Forming role-based teams, primarily centered around local disaster prevention specialists
- Implementing "evacuee-participatory" operational improvements such as no-shoe zones and designated areas
- Carefully handling information to prevent misinformation
- The attitude of "doing one thing you can" improved the quality of the shelter
2️⃣ Administrative Explanation: Basics of Evacuation Shelter Management
Tatsuya Tominaga (Assistant Manager, Uwajima City Crisis Management Division) explained the following points based on the city's evacuation shelter operation manual:
- Evacuation shelters are fundamentally operated autonomously by local residents
- Evacuation shelters are considered "places to live," requiring a perspective of self-reliance support and community support
- Creating shelters that are kind to those requiring special consideration and to both men and women
- Development of individual manuals for each community center and their publication via QR code
- Introduction of efforts to set up evacuation shelters during comprehensive disaster drills
3️⃣ Group Work: From the Perspectives of Evacuees and Supporters
Led by Takahisa Omoto, Associate Director of the Ehime University Regional Collaboration Center Nanyo, diverse participants discussed "what they would do if they became an evacuee" and "what they could do as a supporter."
Participants came from a wide range of fields, including postal services, medical care, nursing care, education, children's cafeterias, NPOs, disaster prevention specialists, neighborhood associations, and agriculture.
Main Opinions
- Creating registers, sharing information, and providing support utilizing professional skills
- Detailed consideration for children, the elderly, and those requiring special care
- Toilets, hygiene, and mental health care require high specialization and external support
- Pre-coordination of corporate stockpiles and networks is key
- Potential to utilize the power of young people and student disaster prevention specialists
4️⃣ Summary
Led by Ehime University Visiting Professor Shin Maeda, opinions from participants attending online were summarized, and the entire workshop was reviewed.
① Online Discussion with Diverse Participants
Online participants included people from outside the prefecture, NPOs, the Shikoku Disaster Volunteer Network, occupational therapists, and general citizens, forming a diverse group. Despite communication constraints, discussions focused on "what one can do as an evacuee."
② Reality Seen from Evacuation Shelter Experience
Through the stories of participants who actually experienced evacuation shelter life during the West Japan Floods, the difficulty for evacuees themselves to "find what they can do" and the realities of shelter operation were shared.
③ Spontaneous Initiative for a "No-Crying Shelter"
In the Yoshida area, without a clear operational organization, young women primarily led the initiative to create a "no-crying shelter," calling out to the elderly and creating dining spaces, which impressively led to spontaneous acts of mutual support.
④ How to Provide Support by Leveraging Expertise
The importance of supporters acting by leveraging their "specialties" was emphasized. Diverse expertise and networks, such as cooking, children's cafeterias, community building, rakugo performances, and relaxation support, were utilized in evacuation shelter support.
⑤ Support Arises from "Volunteerism," Not "Requests"
Many supporters acted not at the request of the administration but out of their own desire to "do something." While needs become complex during disasters, the starting point is an attitude of "bringing what one can."
⑥ A "Mutual Support Relationship" That Does Not Separate Evacuees and Supporters
Evacuees and supporters are not clearly distinct entities; it is necessary to build relationships of mutual support. If connections leveraging expertise are nurtured in daily life, natural division of roles will emerge during disasters.
⑦ Importance of Taking Learning Back and Fostering Mutual Support in the Community
The discussion concluded with a call to not let this discussion end here but to take it back to the community and practice building mutual support in daily life.
Closing
Takumi Kawasaki (Board Member, Uwajima NPO Center) called on participants, saying, "Everyone gathered here today is a bearer of the power to support the community. Please take this back and start small in your own community," and the workshop concluded successfully.
The Uwajima NPO Center will continue its efforts to foster community "connections" with evacuation shelter support and disaster prevention as themes.
Scenes from the Day
Protecting Lives, Supporting Daily Living #5
Shelter Support and the Power of Community Connections
On November 18, 2025, the fifth workshop in the “Protecting Lives, Supporting Daily Living” series—Shelter Support: Building Evacuation Shelters Sustained by Community Connections—was held at Uwajima City Central Community Center. Despite being a weekday evening, the event drew many participants from inside and outside the city, as well as online, offering a rich opportunity to learn about the multi-layered challenges of evacuation-shelter operations.
Opening Remarks
Ms. Noriko Yakushijin, Representative Director of the Uwajima NPO Center, opened the workshop by reflecting on lessons from the 2018 Western Japan Floods and on the anticipated Nankai Trough megathrust earthquake. She emphasized the importance of considering “what each of us can do—both as evacuees and as supporters.”
Ms. Miyuki Hirata, Director of the Uwajima City Civic & Environmental Affairs Department, delivered the Mayor’s address, expressing expectations for improving the quality of life in shelters and reaffirming the city’s commitment to ongoing collaboration.
Case Report: Evacuation Shelter Operations at Yoshida Community Center During the Western Japan Floods
Mr. Yusuke Kaji (then Yoshida Community Center staff member and volunteer firefighter) presented a detailed account of shelter management during the disaster. He described the decision to move the shelter from the first floor to the second floor due to expected flooding, the creation of evacuee registration lists, securing supplies, and coordinating food support through community partners.
Key points included:
- Responding to rapid increases in evacuees and the resulting confusion
- Organizing task teams led by local disaster-management volunteer
- Improving shelter conditions through no-shoes rules, space zoning, and shared responsibilities
- Handling information carefully to avoid spreading misinformation
- How “doing even one thing you can” significantly improves shelter quality
Administrative Briefing: Fundamentals of Evacuation Shelter Management
Mr. Tatsuya Tominaga, Assistant Manager, Uwajima City Crisis Management Division, explained the city’s shelter operation guidelines:
- Shelters are fundamentally community-run, with residents and facility managers working together
- Shelters must be treated not only as emergency spaces but as temporary living environments, requiring self-reliance and community-building support
- Operations must consider vulnerable populations and incorporate gender-inclusive planning
- Individual manuals are being developed for each public community center, with QR-code access
- Large-scale disaster drills now include shelter-setup exercises
Group Work: Perspectives of Evacuees and Supporters
Under the facilitation of Assoc. Director Takahisa Omoto (Ehime University Regional Collaboration Center Nanyo) and Visiting Professor Shin Maeda (Ehime University), participants explored two core questions:
“What could I do if I were the evacuee?” and
“What can I contribute as a supporter?”
Participants represented a wide range of backgrounds, including postal workers, medical and nursing staff, educators, children’s cafeteria organizers, NPO workers, disaster-management volunteers, neighborhood leaders, and agricultural producers.
Key insights shared:
- Support through registration, communication, and professional expertise
- Attentive care for children, older adults, and vulnerable individuals
- Toilets, sanitation, and mental-health care require specialized external support
- Corporate stockpiles and local networks can play crucial roles
- Youth and student disaster-management volunteers can be valuable contributors
Closing Remarks
In closing, Mr. Takumi Kawasaki, Board Member of the Uwajima NPO Center, encouraged participants by saying,
“Everyone here is a potential leader in supporting our community. Take what you learned today and begin with small steps in your own neighborhood.”
With this message, the workshop concluded on a strong and positive note.
The Uwajima NPO Center will continue to advance initiatives that strengthen community connections and promote effective shelter support and disaster preparedness.