Problems caused to the acoustic environment by the Japan Quake: a critique from the viewpoint of soundscape study

摘要

A big earthquake hit Japan on March 11, 2011, which caused a variety of problems. Problems in the acoustic environment were ones of them. Some of these were typical noise problems. Some issues also arose as a result of the meanings people attached to certain sounds or how they understood certain acoustic environments. For example, several temporary shelters for evacuees were constructed at noisy locations, such as on the sides of roads or railroads, despite the fact that guidelines for construction of temporary houses stipulate that living environmental conditions should be checked carefully when sites for temporary houses are chosen. Secondly, acoustic signs for the visually impaired were switched off for the purpose of saving electricity. The last example is that people in Fukushima have been living in abnormal acoustic environments caused by the fear of radioactivity. These problems suggest that consensus could be lacking on the minimum requirements regarding the quality of acoustic environments in an emergency. Therefore, the author advocates that we should engage in public dialogue to determine the minimum requirements of the acoustic environments for preserving human rights and dignity.