We are pleased to highlight the contribution of the Japanese Social Lab team of RE4GREEN, who presented their research at the International Sociology Forum, held in Morocco in August 2025. Representing RE4GREEN, Haruka Ueda (University of Tokyo) delivered the presentation titled “Lessons from Fukushima: Food and Environmental Ethics, Arts and Philosophy.”
The presentation drew on findings from a 2024 field survey conducted in Iitate Village, Fukushima, designed to examine the current state of post-disaster revitalisation and to explore new possibilities for reconstructing environmental ethics. Although evacuation orders were lifted in 2017, most residents have not returned. Through interviews and field observations—including visits to experimental farms, contaminated zones, and the village’s new art hub—the team shed light on the pivotal role played by the NPO Revitalisation of Fukushima in supporting the recovery process.
Their research highlights a notable shift in the region’s revitalisation pathway: moving from science-driven responses, to economic rebuilding efforts, and now towards approaches grounded in philosophy and the arts. This evolution has contributed to the emergence of a new “public space” where diverse actors collaborate, rethink local futures, and reconsider the meaning of “nature” as a lived, rather than purely conceptual, experience—drawing on modern Japanese philosophy and comparative perspectives.
The presentation was delivered by Haruka Ueda, with contributions from co-authors Tomohiro Akiyama (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature), Ji-Yoon Kim, Sana Sakihama, and Takahiro Nakajima (all University of Tokyo). We congratulate the Japanese Social Lab team for their insightful work and for their valuable representation of RE4GREEN at this international forum.
