Japan's disaster recovery workers face growing mental health concerns

They arrive to help rebuild homes, restore services and support devastated communities. But experts say local government employees dispatched to disaster-hit areas often face severe psychological strain themselves.

Mental health support for dispatched staff is an urgent issue in Japan, where cases of depression and suicide have been reported in past large-scale disaster responses, and where some prefectures still have no dedicated measures in place.

The issue has drawn renewed attention following a court ruling involving a former Tokyo municipal employee who developed depression after being sent to assist recovery efforts following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

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In September last year, the Tokyo High Court recognized the case as work related, finding that the man’s illness was caused by the conditions he faced while working as a member of support staff in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture.

“The psychological strain was so severe that it triggered the onset of depression,” the ruling said.

The former employee, who worked for Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward, was dispatched in April 2016 and engaged in fixed asset valuation and other administrative duties. The ruling found his overtime exceeded 100 hours in the month before his illness emerged. It also noted the psychological stress caused after he learned of the suicide of a colleague.

The case is not isolated. In 2013, a male employee from Takarazuka in Hyogo Prefecture who had been dispatched to the town of Otsuchi in Iwate Prefecture took his own life during his assignment.

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The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has urged prefectural and municipal governments to make greater use of mental health specialists and counseling services for dispatched personnel.

A Kyodo News survey conducted between December last year and February this year found that while most prefectures have introduced some form of mental health support for medium- to long-term dispatched staff, a significant minority have not.

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Of Japan’s 47 prefectures, 39, or over 80 percent, said they had implemented their own measures. Eight prefectures, including Aomori, Niigata and Kumamoto, said they had not introduced any unique initiatives.

Where measures exist, they vary widely. Some local governments, including Akita and Chiba, send officials to dispatch sites to check working conditions. Ibaraki Prefecture said it has shortened dispatch periods from one year to six months to reduce strain on staff.

READ: Trauma to lives, economy from tsunami persists 6 years on

Some municipalities also cover transportation costs to allow employees to return home periodically during assignments.

The need for support is particularly clear in areas currently undergoing reconstruction.

In Ishikawa Prefecture, around 100 employees have been dispatched from across Japan to assist with recovery work following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day in 2024.

In November last year, the prefecture held mental health workshops for dispatched workers and exchange meetings for staff stationed in different locations.

A prefectural representative said efforts were being made to create a workplace environment in which employees could work with peace of mind.

Yutaka Matsui, professor emeritus of social psychology at the University of Tsukuba, said workers in such roles often feel guilty about taking time off or returning home early during recovery efforts.

He said stress is an unavoidable part of reconstruction work, and local governments must do more to support employees’ mental health.

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Matsui added that authorities should create opportunities for dispatched staff to share concerns and frustrations and establish systems that allow them to return home regularly for health management and reporting on field conditions. /dl