Fukushima Global Communication Programme
This working paper series shares research produced as part of the Fukushima Global Communication (FGC) Programme, a
research initiative of the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU‑IAS). The FGC
Programme applies a human security approach to examine impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear
accident of 11 March, 2011 on people and society, and the challenges of the recovery process in Fukushima. It also focuses on
issues of risk and information provision, aiming to improve understanding of how the threat of radiation is perceived, and the
specifc challenges of risk communication related to nuclear energy.
This working paper is an output of the FGC research workshop “Understanding and Communicating Risks Post Fukushima”,
held in Tokyo on 12–13 November 2015. The workshop brought together international experts to explore the specifc
challenges of understanding and discussing risks related to nuclear accidents, and identify appropriate and effective forms of
risk communication.
To fnd out more, please visit fgc.unu.edu
Fukushima Global Communication Programme
Working Paper Series
Number 13 — December 2015
© 2015 United Nations University. All Rights Reserved.
The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily refect the views of the United Nations University.
Risk Communication Programs
after the Fukushima Nuclear
Accident: A Comparison of
Epistemic Cultures
Aya Kimura University of Hawaii‑Manoa