Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Persons and Information and Communication Technology in the Face of the Great East Japan Earthquake
This presentation, delivered at the Disability Inclusive DRR session on widening participation of persons with disabilities in the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, examines the specific challenges faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing persons during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Drawing on NHK survey data from 27 municipalities across Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures, the resource documents the disproportionate death toll among persons with disabilities—with persons with physical disabilities dying at more than double the rate of the general population—and analyzes the information and communication barriers that contributed to these outcomes.
The resource identifies two core problem areas: the near-total loss of accessible communication channels during the disaster, which left deaf and hard-of-hearing persons unable to receive evacuation warnings, request assistance, or access relief services; and social isolation in evacuation centers and temporary housing, which caused many to remain in unsafe environments rather than face communication barriers in communal settings. These findings are grounded in fieldwork by Associate Professor Jo Matsuzaki of Miyagi University of Education.
Based on these experiences, the resource offers concrete recommendations for making disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery more inclusive, organized around two pillars: expanding access to ICT through multi-channel, accessible formats including sign language, text, and video chat; and meaningfully incorporating persons with disabilities into the planning and implementation of DRR measures at local and national levels. This resource is relevant for DRR planners, National Society staff, and anyone working to operationalize disability inclusion in emergency preparedness and response.