Izumiotsu residents to strengthen disaster resilience in Izumiotsu, Osaka

Six neighbourhood associations in Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture, will be conducting a joint overnight evacuation shelter experience drill together this weekend. This initiative aims to strengthen local disaster resilience by simulating the challenges of life in an emergency shelter. Residents from the districts of Kasuga-cho, Komatsu-cho, Sugawara-cho, Matsunohama-cho, Tanaka-cho, and Wakamiya-cho will participate in the programme.

The drill focuses on practical skills and the physical realities of displacement. Participants will practice the assembly of emergency tents and portable toilets, addressing a critical lesson from the Noto Peninsula earthquake where equipment often remained unused because residents did not know how to operate it. The programme also includes a disaster meal workshop where residents will prepare and taste warm food, which is essential for reducing mental stress during a crisis.

Staying overnight outdoor tents is part of the experience, which will allow residents to identify specific discomforts such as heat, noise, and hard ground surfaces, which are common in the early stages of a disaster when indoor shelters may reach capacity. By experiencing these conditions firsthand, the community can better prepare for the logistical and physical demands of a real emergency.

The participating districts are all located within the projected inundation zone for a potential Nankai Trough earthquake tsunami. These communities face challenges such as an aging population and a shortage of younger leaders. Therefire, the drill also promotes protecting the town through local mutual aid. Historical data from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake indicates that approximately 80 per cent of people rescued from collapsed buildings were saved by family members or neighbours.

The venue, Shepath Park, opened in 2023 and has received prestigious accolades including the 2025 Good Design Award and the 2024 Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award. While the park is a popular recreational spot featuring a restaurant and seminar rooms, it was only designated as an emergency evacuation site in 2024.