[Risk perception of tsunamis and the willingness to evacuate of junior high school students living in coastal areas].

Objective　Students find it difficult to take the decision to evacuate from tsunamis. This study explores junior high school students' risk perception regarding tsunamis and their willingness to evacuate.Methods　The study surveyed 251 junior high school students from the 7th to 9th grades in Town B, located at the east coast of Prefecture A, Japan, using data from an anonymous questionnaire that was administered with parental consent. Demographic factors (school, grade, and gender), willingness to evacuate, risk perception, tsunami experiences, recognition of tsunami hazard households, and household preventive actions were evaluated. Pearson's chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the relationship between risk perception and willingness to evacuate. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hokkaido University.Results　Valid data were collected from 158 students (62.9%). Of these, 141 (89.2%) were enrolled in a school located in a coastal area. Male students accounted for 81 responses (51.3%) and female students for 77 (48.7%). As for willingness to evacuate, 147 (93.0%) responded that they would evacuate if they heard an evacuation order and 112 (70.9%) responded that they would evacuate if they experienced a persistent tremor. Regarding household altitude, 66 (41.8%) of the students live in houses located less than 15 meters above sea level. The results indicate that 125 (79.1%) of the students discuss tsunamis with their family members. The primary factor promoting the willingness to evacuate after hearing an evacuation order is living in a household under 15 meters in altitude (100% vs. 82.4%, P<0.001) and the major factors for willingness to evacuate after feeling a persistent tremor are living in a household under 15 meters in altitude (84.8% vs. 35.3%, P<0.001) and discussing tsunamis with their families (76.8% vs. 48.5%, P=0.001).Conclusion　The results suggest that to promote a willingness to evacuate immediately, recognizing the household's altitude is important, as it can give junior high school students a clearer sense of the danger of tsunamis. In addition, the study suggests that discussing the matter within families is a significant factor that promotes willingness to evacuate.