Lessons from Fukushima and World War II

How to avoid repeating past mistakes in the evolution of scientific systems after crises, disasters and conflicts, according to historians from the University of Tokyo who contributed to the International Council for Science’s latest report “Protecting Science in the Age of Science” , collective memory is one way. crisis. “

The paper, published today, looks back on the current era of crises, ranging from violent conflicts to natural disasters, and explores the value of scientists, their work, and valuable research archives and infrastructure. We suggest future directions for developing support systems to help prevent loss. .

In 2022, the number of people displaced by persecution, conflict, violence and human rights violations reached more than 100 million (UNHCR, 2022). The fugitives included scientists, academics, doctors, engineers, professors, and university students.

Dr. Bibi Stavreux, co-author of the International Science Council’s “Protecting Science in Times of Crisis”, says that scientists, as knowledge brokers, are often the first to be affected, imprisoned, and exiled in times of crisis. However, few people are aware of the impact of the losses. The impact of scientific knowledge and infrastructure on our country and future generations.

“There is currently no common understanding of how the global scientific community can respond to crises affecting science and scientists, or how it can coordinate the restructuring of scientific systems affected by crises. We’re not getting it,” Dr. Stavreux said.

Professor Sayaka Oki of the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Education contributed to this paper with lessons learned from the 2011 Fukushima earthquake, tsunami, subsequent nuclear disaster, and post-World War II recovery efforts.

“Fukushima was a paradigm shift for us because we had never experienced anything like this before.Global negotiations to respond to the crisis began and we received more information than usual. For example, data on radioactivity has become more visible.”After this incident, people became more aware of this issue,” Professor Oki said.

“At first, scientists seemed really shocked by the tsunami. First, it was the first time in 1,000 years that we had seen that level of seismic activity, so our construction techniques, which are normally based on 200-300 year time scales, posed a major challenge, with disagreements arising over how to reduce the risks and conflicts within and outside the scientific community.

“While some science and technology scientists may have been communicating through networks and coordinating responses, it appeared to be quite sporadic. There was no single strong voice uniting scientists, and therefore communication remained exposed to rumors and misinformation.

Professor Ohki said technical and engineering sciences were in demand during the Fukushima and World War II crises, but there was no support for social sciences, which was a missed opportunity.

“In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, we had a big dilemma because it was difficult to have comprehensive, comprehensive and reasoned discussions. In a democratic society, there should be free debate, but in reality “It can be difficult to get a thoughtful and consistent message across, especially in the days following an accident. That’s why a single voice is needed at times like these. , at the same time it needs to be transparent and clear,” Professor Oki explained.

The report recommends that in times of crisis, external collaboration can help bridge the instability gap and protect the integrity of research. Professor Ohki explains that during World War II, advances in science and technology were a closely guarded secret, but after 1947, with the rise of the global Cold War, major changes (referred to as the “reverse course”) took place. As a result, the United States and its allies became increasingly interested in promoting Japan’s progress. Economic and technological development.

“Japan received a lot of aid, especially from the United States and some European countries, which helped a lot in rebuilding the academic community at the time.As in the case of Fukushima, Japan helped develop the necessary robotic technology. I think both cases demonstrate that cooperation is very important and that it is possible in times of crisis. ”

When it comes to advice on rebuilding scientific systems and collaborations, Professor Ohki says each case is different, but Japan’s experience shows that keeping collective memory active can protect scientists and research in times of crisis. This shows that it can pave the way for new and comprehensive methods of

“Unfortunately, libraries and a lot of data were destroyed during the conflict. People try to save this kind of infrastructure and memory, and it’s important to motivate people to rebuild society.” said Professor Oki. “Cities like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for example, have lost many important artifacts and archives, but in the process of recovering from such devastating events, we have tried to piece together memories. .That effort continues today.”