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Fukushima's 'Disaster Generation' Students Share Lessons from Great East Japan Earthquake
The 'Disaster Generation' Shares Their Stories
As the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear accident approach their 15th anniversary, a younger generation in Fukushima Prefecture — who were either children or not yet born at the time and thus do not directly remember the disaster — are now relaying its lessons. These individuals are referred to as the 'disaster generation.' Recently, at an event held in Iwaki, five local middle school storytellers shared their experiences of the disaster, including the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. They stated that while they are sometimes called 'Generation Z,' they consider themselves part of the 'Shinsai Generation,' or the disaster generation.
Insights Gained Through Personal Experiences
One of the storytellers, student Honoka Matsuo, was born in February 2011, just three weeks before the earthquake. Initially, she wondered if it would be meaningful for someone who didn't remember the disaster to tell its story. However, she was inspired by her classmate, Aoi Suzuki, whose home was severely damaged by the tsunami, and who actively shared her disaster testimony. Honoka asked her parents about the situation when she was a baby. Her father, Shugo Matsuo, recounted the hardships they faced after the explosion, such as struggling to find diapers and formula, enduring the cold, and a shortage of gasoline. Through this, Honoka realized the critical importance of disaster preparedness in daily life.
Ongoing Efforts Towards the Future
Even without direct memories, Honoka decided to continue sharing stories about the disaster. She began telling her story to foreign visitors in English. Honoka not only speaks about the past but also about the future, emphasizing that no one knows when or where the next disaster will strike. She hopes her activities will contribute to disaster mitigation and prevention, and help save lives in the event of a future disaster. As a storyteller born in 2011, she plans to continue sharing these lessons even after graduating from middle school.
*Source: YouTube: NHK World-Japan (2026-03-10)*
