Addressing long-term mental health recovery remains a major challenge as lives are increasingly disrupted by disasters, including displacement, conflict and climate-related emergencies. A communication from Juntendo University argues that while assessment of acute symptoms remains important, disaster psychiatry could benefit from a community-led approach to care. The authors discuss the importance of: ibasho (community spaces with a sense of belonging and social purpose) and suggest that rebuilding daily life, roles and neighborhood connections may support long-term recovery and resilience.
Natural disasters have a major impact on human lives, destroying homes, separating families, disrupting daily life, and affecting stability. While emergency mental health responses are critical at the beginning of a crisis, a new communication argues that psychological recovery may require more meaningful approaches to restoring a sense of place and belonging.
Ibasho: A community-driven place of belonging and meaning.
In this regard, the authors, led by Associate Professor Hidetaka Tamune of Juntendo University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Yutaka Igarashi of Nippon Medical School, and Dr. Yuzuru Kawashima of Japan’s Disaster Psychiatric Support Team discussed this approach. ibasho For people affected by disasters (Japanese concept of community building). Details were made available online on April 3, 2026, and were published in Magazine Volume 407, Issue 10537. lancet Diary of April 11, 2026.
Dr Tamne says:Disaster recovery is not just about alleviating acute psychiatric symptoms. It is also about restoring a social environment that gives people stability, dignity and a sense of purpose. In Japanese, a place that makes this possible is called an Isho.”
Ibasho It signifies a place of belonging where people engage in social networks, routines, and meaningful roles. The authors suggested that restoring this sense of connection among people affected by a disaster may be as important as detecting early symptoms, as it plays a key role in supporting local recovery. Correspondence points that support this ibasho Within Sphere’s internationally recognized humanitarian framework, it focuses on survival with dignity, continuity of care and a coordinated support system in times of crisis. Also, it suggests that ibasho is closely aligned with these principles by providing social infrastructure to displaced and affected communities.
Japan’s Place: Community-led Recovery Practices
Compared to traditional interventions, ibasho It refers to a safe, community-driven space where individuals can reconnect with others and resume their daily lives. This may include neighborhood gathering spaces, shared community programs, locally-led recovery hubs, and more. To support this point of view, the authors cited evidence from disaster-affected areas in Japan. These include examples from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Notably, there was an increase in dementia consultations and behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) among older adults near evacuation zones in disaster-affected areas. In contrast, communities where older residents received instructional support ibashoStyle program improved social and family relationships, and reported stronger recovery and more stable daily life. This suggests that recovery improved when people were able to resume meaningful roles in community life. Elderly people not only receive support, but also actively contribute to recovery efforts and rebuilding community life.
”What seems most important is not just access to services, but whether people can reclaim their place in the community and continue to feel valued, useful, and connected. In Japan, a super-aging society with frequent disasters, we have the experience and responsibility to share what we have learned about caring for older people with dementia, especially those who develop BPSD and delirium.” explains Dr. Taso.
Redefining recovery through connection, culture and dignity
Although this communication is particularly relevant to natural disasters, it suggests that both preparedness and recovery depend not only on services but also on people’s ability to maintain connections with local networks, daily life, and meaningful social roles. The authors further note that trauma-informed supports must be culturally compatible. Some communities are restoring their daily lives, roles, and communal living. ibasho That may be the most acceptable first step.
Overall, this communication highlights the importance of: ibasho In post-disaster mental health. This study suggests that while detection of acute symptoms is important, recovery also depends on whether people can continue to live safely, maintain relationships, and resume meaningful roles after evacuation. In this sense, ibasho It has the potential to function as a culturally harmonious local social infrastructure through which dignity, continuity and security of everyday life can be restored.
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Reference magazines:
Tamune, H. others. (2026). Healthy minds, healthy places: Placement and post-disaster mental health. Lancet. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00546-5. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00546-5/fulltext
