ABSTRACT
The term “disaster-related deaths” describes deaths that – in contrast to direct deaths – are caused indirectly by a disaster, such as due to bad living or hygiene conditions. The recognition of such deaths is linked to various governmental support measures such as condolence money. This chapter reviews the background to the enactment of the law on disaster-related deaths and introduces the debates on the topic prior to and soon after the Great East Japan Earthquake (3.11). The chapter shows that disaster-related deaths occurred more frequently in places other than evacuation centers after 3.11 compared to previous disasters in Japan. Such deaths that occurred in Fukushima Prefecture differed from those in other prefectures, and there were also differences in the procedures for recognizing disaster-related deaths. It became clear that there is inequality and injustice regarding the recognition of disaster-related deaths that remain mainly unaddressed.
