One year after the Noto Peninsula earthquake and the fragile lessons learned from it

(Warning: This article about the Noto earthquake contains references to suicide.)

One year ago, on January 1, 2024, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook the Noto area of ​​Ishikawa Prefecture. The physical scars were immediate and undeniable – collapsed homes, cut-off roads, torn apart communities. After one year, the continuing threats of isolation, mental health struggles, and cultural loss were no less a risk than the initial event.

It is this aspect, which I call the “hidden toll” of the Noto Peninsula earthquake, that I would like to address here. I will focus on mental health challenges, such as suicides, and the cultural erosion that continues to affect the region. In addition, I will also explore how society's response to disasters often falls short of addressing these long-term impacts and what can be done to prevent further tragedies.

While official reports confirm the death of more than 220 people, the undeclared toll continues to increase. “Disaster-related deaths,” a euphemism for suicide, including those caused by stress, illness and isolation, often exceed the number of lives claimed by the disaster itself. This is true in Noto's case as well. Suicides in these affected areas have emerged as a silent and creeping epidemic.

The hidden crisis of isolation and suicide

As I traveled across the Noto Peninsula as a member of the disaster relief organization Civic Force in the weeks after the earthquake, I was struck not only by the physical devastation, but also by the silent exhaustion of the community. For many survivors, the greatest threat lay not in the ruins, but in the isolation that followed. Temporary housing settlements, often filled with elderly residents, have become microcosms of loneliness.

An elderly man told me that he had not seen his neighbors in days, even though they lived just meters away. “We were talking about the local market,” he said. “I don't know where they are or if they're okay. I don't want to bother anyone.”

His words echoed through many interactions. Survivors were physically present but emotionally drifting, unsure of the present, and more anxious about the future.

Rubble strewn across the road in Noto (Courtesy of Ami Eldridge).

This isolation creates fertile ground for mental health struggles to take root. Survivors of past disasters showed higher rates of depression and suicidal ideation. In Noto, the remaining cracks in society extend far beyond roads and buildings, threatening the social fabric that once held it together. Without intervention, these invisible fractures risk widening until they are no longer repairable.

Cultural deaths: more than lives lost

Disasters not only destroy lives, but also threaten the cultural identity of the affected areas. Local traditions, crafts and community festivals have always been the threads that bind people together in Noto. With homes, gathering places and historical monuments reduced to rubble, there is a sense of cultural death.

Survivors often suffer the loss of more than their homes. Community centers where dances and celebrations were held are in ruins. Temples that have stood for centuries now face slow rebuilding or abandonment. Rituals that once linked generations are at risk of being lost as younger survivors migrate in search of stability.

The owner of a small café in Suzu, who was displaced to Kanazawa, spoke to me about this separation. “My café didn’t just disappear,” she said. “More than that, it's the space we created — where we share stories and pass recipes. I fear we will lose that forever.” Her feelings speak to a broader concern. Cultural death is not surprising.

Community failure

The saddest realization during my time at Noto is how preventable many of these losses are. Disasters, by their nature, cannot be avoided. But the secondary tragedies – suicides, cultural erosion, and persistent despair – reflect society's failure to protect the most vulnerable.

History should have taught us this lesson. After the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (1995), hundreds of survivors died alone in temporary housing. In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake (2011), countless societies were permanently changed. This was not only due to the physical force of the tsunami, but also due to the psychological repercussions. The percentage of those who died from kanrinshi (disaster-related deaths) after the series of earthquakes that struck Kumamoto in 2016 is at an all-time high.

Houses in Noto (photo by Ami Eldridge).

However, Noto, whose Kanrinshi casualty rate a year after the disaster is close to Kumamoto's, is a stark reminder that we are still repeating the same mistakes.

Prevent the next invisible disaster

Preventing these secondary disasters requires a shift in the way we approach recovery. It is not enough to rebuild infrastructure. True recovery must meet the emotional, cultural and psychological needs of survivors.

Initiatives like the Civic Force's ongoing community programs aim to fill this gap in Noto by strengthening human connections and preserving cultural spaces. However, more widespread and sustained efforts are necessary. Support systems, advisory services, and cultural preservation projects, along with physical reconstruction, must be prioritized.

Equally important is the role of memory. We cannot allow Noto's lessons to fade as the months pass. Documenting survivors' stories, creating memorials, and promoting dialogue about the hidden losses of disasters will help ensure that future responses also prioritize mental health and cultural preservation.

Stick to what matters

When I think about my time in Noto, I carry the weight of the stories I heard and the people I met. Their resilience is remarkable, but resilience alone should not be the expectation. Survival requires more than just the ability to endure hardship. Every survivor deserves support to rebuild not only their homes, but also their lives and communities.

Earthquakes will come again. But the secondary tragedies that follow are not inevitable. They are choices – or failures – made by society. If we continue to forget, we risk losing not only lives, but the essence of the communities suffering from these disasters.

A year after Noto, the question we must ask is not just how to rebuild, but how to ensure that no one is left behind in the wake of that calm. I hope I have reminded people of the untold losses that disasters leave behind.

Are you looking for help? If you're in Japan and facing a mental health issue for any reason, including dealing with disasters, anxiety, workplace harassment, bullying, pregnancy, or anything else, there's someone ready to help you in English at TELL Japan. Phone (toll free within Japan) 0800-300-8355 or chat online. Information about counseling services in English is also available on the US Embassy website. If you are outside Japan, please check with your national health authorities for guidance in your country.

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Author: Ami Eldridge Ami Eldridge is a JAPAN Forward contributor and public relations director for Civic Force, a non-profit entity providing emergency aid and recovery support in Japan.

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