Activities and roles of mosques in Japan after the recent major earthquakes: A comprehensive study

Abstract

As minority groups, foreign nationals are considered vulnerable because of cultural, linguistic, and religious differences; however, some may work as critical stakeholders in disaster risk reduction (DRR). In Japan, some mosque communities (mainly composed of foreign nationals) were engaged in relief activities immediately after disasters; however, these reports were scattered and did not clarify long-term activities. Therefore, we aimed to summarize the activities and roles of mosques located in areas affected by recent natural hazard-related disasters in the short (that is, response) and long term (that is, recovery and mitigation). We targeted three mosques located in areas affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake in Japan. We conducted a literature review and interviewed mosque administrators. The results showed that all mosques worked as distribution centers in the short term, receiving relief supplies from Muslims all over Japan and distributing them to affected people. The relief goods included halal foods that fit foreign minorities, but these goods were distributed not only to them but also to other people regardless of religion and nationality. Some mosques also functioned as evacuation shelters, soup kitchens, and accommodations for volunteers. Support for affected people was further facilitated by intermediaries (such as private organizations and key local individuals) between the mosques and local communities or governments. In contrast to the short term, we did not find prominent recovery and mitigation activities by the mosques. These comprehensive findings contribute to the promotion of inclusive and community-based DRR activities.