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Experts call for handing down disaster experiences

Mar 14, 2021 (NHK) - A group of researchers studying disaster management say they will call on the government to designate March 11th as the day for teaching about disaster management and handing down disaster experiences.

Following the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, researchers pointed out the importance of teaching about disaster management, but efforts made towards the goal have been patchy.

The researchers told reporters in the northeastern Japanese city of Sendai on Saturday that they want people to remember the lessons learned from the 2011 disaster and to step up education for disaster management across the country.

They say more than 860 individuals and companies have expressed support in an online signature campaign, and that they aim to achieve designation by March 11th of next year.

Toda Yoshio of The Japanese Association of Safety Education says the designation is highly important in deepening people's understanding of disasters as there are concerns that people may not remember the lessons learned.

Imamura Fumihiko, director of Tohoku University's International Research Institute of Disaster Science, says, while more disasters are expected in the future, he wants to continuously promote education for disaster management and handing down experiences.

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Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

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