International Networking Project to Cope with Natural Hazards on the Periphery of Bengal Bay

Principal Investigator: ANDO, Kazuo
Period: FY2009 -2013

Outline:
Cyclone Nargis struck far more people in Myanmar in 2008 than Sidr did in Bangladesh the year before. The lesson of the “tragedy of Nargis” taught us that, in order tackle widely affecting natural disasters, we have to share the　experience of the local people within the same “meso-global” area, namely, the periphery of Bengal Bay. “Nargis” taught us how important it is to network different areas in the same “meso-global” area which is prone to a　shared natural disaster. However, it has been difficult for governments of neighboring countries to share information. As such, universities in Japan are trying to facilitate networking within this meso-global area. Through　exchanging information on local experiences and wisdom, between different actors, it is hoped that different areas will network within a communal framework. This project aims to show, as a model, the potential role that Japanese academic researchers can play in cooperating with concerned parties from countries in the meso-global area.