Implementation study reveals high resident satisfaction alongside trust deficits in post-disaster communities, highlighting the need for public authority involvement.
Key Points
To assess the outcomes and challenges of a decade-long co-expertise initiative and its culminating documentation project following a nuclear disaster.
Implemented a longitudinal collaborative initiative between the Ethos in Fukushima volunteer group and residents of Suetsugi district between 2011 and 2020.
Facilitated community-led documentation of post-accident experiences resulting in the creation and release of the Suetsugi Atlas in spring 2022.
Residents reported high levels of satisfaction with the collaborative co-expertise process.
Identified substantial challenges in establishing trust beyond direct personal experience, reflecting persistent unresolved post-accident issues.
Observed that successful co-expertise and long-term recovery depend on the complete, direct engagement of public authorities alongside affected populations.