Characterization of Flood Risk in Japan in Times of Climate Change and Aging Society

Abstract

Flood is a natural phenomenon but flooding causes damage to human society. In recent decades, flood risk has been intensified due to rapid urbanization and climate change. Furthermore, it becomes more complicated in regions where social vulnerability evolves with mechanisms such as population aging. This paper provides an analysis of flood risk in Japan in relation to climate change and aging. It highlights changes in hazard and exposure, which resulted in higher vulnerability. Especially, it detected a turning point in the frequency of heavy rainfalls in Japan. It also assessed the latest strategies the Japanese government took to counteract the impacts of climate change. These analyses shed new light on Japan's challenges to achieve better flood risk management. Although a large amount of research on flood risk is available in the literature, the present study provides new thoughts and directions for further studies.

Keywords: flood risk, climate change, aging, vulnerability, change point, coping capacity