PROSPECTUS OF JAPAN DISASTER FOOD SOCIETY

JAPAN DISASTER FOOD SOCIETY was established on September 1, 2013 for researchers concerned with various food-related problems upon occurrence of natural disaster such as a large-scale earthquake, to make a meaningful contribution to improvement in dietary life. Although it is generally acknowledged that the food-related problems in case of natural disaster cause life-threatening situation, still not much headway has been made in the development of countermeasures against the problems in convenience and facilitation-oriented modern society. Conventional emergency foods are produced with emphasis on maximizing the shelf life and nutrition immediately after the disaster, and in some cases, such food products do not meet various requirements. JAPAN DISASTER FOOD SOCIETY has a basic philosophy to study DISASTER FOODS not as the aforementioned emergency foods but "WHAT FOODS OUGHT TO BE WHEN NORMAL DIETARY LIFE IS NOT CONTINUED". More particularly, JAPAN DISASTER FOOD SOCIETY has as its object to pursue studies of the meals for all the people in the disaster-stricken area, i.e., disaster survivors in their own houses and evacuation centers, including elderly people, infants, physically disabled people, sick and wounded people and the like who need specialized meals even in normal times, further, the meals for people engaged in relief activities. In addition, in preparation for conceivable future large-scale earthquakes, another object is to address broad range of issues including problem of house stockpiling, social storage and distribution problems in normal times, problems related to the lives of survivors in disaster-stricken area stepwisely assumed from the occurrence of disaster, further, besides the food-related problems, problems of lifelines, electricity, gas, water and sewage systems and substitutes, from the perspective of "self-help, mutual assistance and public help". Still there are many issues to be solved such as development of ideal disaster foods corresponding to various disaster conditions and achievement of storage stability. Toward solution of the aforementioned issues, JAPAN DISASTER FOOD SOCIETY is to promote research and develop liaison among administrative bodies, research institutions, and private companies in many fields, create opportunities for information exchange and accumulation of knowledge in a wide range of fields, develop researchers and experts related to disaster foods, and provide information to society.

BACKGROUND HISTORY OF JAPAN DISASTER FOOD SOCIETY

Japan consists of volcano islands and is often attacked by natural disasters. There are fears for future mega disasters known as Tokyo Metropolitan Earthquake (earthquake that directly hits Tokyo area) and Nankai Trough Earthquake.

Kazuko OKUDA (professor emeritus of Konan Women's University) who experienced the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (1995) started research on problems related to dietary life in the disaster area. In addition to shortage of food supplies, she reported demand-supply mismatches, unbalanced nutrition, progression of chronic diseases especially in evacuation centers (schools, community halls, meeting places etc.)

The same problems were reported in the Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake (2004) and the Niigata Prefecture Chuetsu-oki Earthquake (2007). Shigeru BEPPU (director of Forica Foods Corporation Limited and visiting processor of Niigata University) started research on these problems and development of food products for people living in the disaster-stricken area. In Niigata University, Food Science Center for industry-university joint research (center president: Motoni KADOWAKI (processor of agricultural department), secretary general: Shinobu FUJIMURA (associate processor of agricultural department)) started activities including enlightening movements and development of food products to reduce the gastronomic problems upon natural disaster.

On the other hand, in Tokyo, Shigeaki MORI (senior researcher of Urban Disaster Prevention Institute) managing Tokyo Station Commuter Corps, organized with companies around Tokyo Station from the viewpoint of district continuity plan (DCP), started to research on the problem of food loss due to long-term storage and disposal of food stockpiles and made Emergency Food Research Group (Mayumi MORI (director/secretary general of non-profit organization Telecom-society Planners and Corporations) took over the representative of the group). The Great East Japan Earthquake (2011) brought a turning point to those who concerned with the disaster food problems toward an academic organization.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN Niigata University, Professor of Faculty of Agriculture

Shinobu FUJIMURA Secretary-general of Niigata University Science Food Center 

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Ex Visiting professor of Niigata University

Shigeru BEPPU

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN National Institute of Health and Nutrition

Nobuyo KASAOKA International Center for Nutrition and Information

   Head of Section of Global Disaster Nutrition

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Senior Researcher of Urban Disaster Research Institute

Shigeaki MORI Deputy Chairman of Tokyo Station Commuter Corps

DIRECTOR National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) 

Junko AMEMIYA Agri-Food Business Innovation Center

DIRECTOR Tsukuba University, Professor of Physical Education

Naomi OMI

DIRECTORMinami Kyusyu University, Professor of Food Science and Technology

Takashi OSADA

DIRECTOR Matsuyama Junior College, Professor of Commerce

Toshiko KAKIHARA

DIRECTOR Professor Emeritus of Niigata University

Motoni KADOWAKI Professor Emeritus of Niigata Institute of Technology

DIRECTOR Ex Public Official of Minato Public Health Center

Yumiko KAWASHIRI Registered Dietitian of Clinic Bambini

DIRECTOR Onisi Foods Co.,Ltd., Manager of Sales Planning Department

Masahiko KURITA

DIRECTOR Ochanomizu University, Professor of Department of Nutrition and Food Science

Noriko SUDO

DIRECTOR Tokyu Research Institute, Inc., Research Department

Gengaku MASHIRO

DIRECTOR National Defense Academy, 

Harumi YASHIRO Processor of Department of Architectural Environmental Engineering

DIRECTOR Senior Researcher of Telecom-Society Planners and Corporations

SECRETARY GENERAL

Mayumi MORI

AUDITOR (Pre.job) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Takashi NAKAZAWA Public Relations Department

   Space Service Co., Ltd.

ADVISOR Professor Emeritus of Konan Women's University

Kazuko OKUDA