The Tohoku journal of experimental medicineJun 2, 2015

Mental health problems in college students from Fukushima, Tokyo, and Kyoto after the March 11 Tohoku earthquake

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Updated Apr 2, 2026

Abstract

A total of 435 undergraduates reported varying levels of traumatic responses and mental health symptoms following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Participants in Tokyo exhibited the highest levels of traumatic response and internalizing symptoms immediately after the earthquake.
Young people in Fukushima reported significantly higher levels of trait anger, including both holding anger in and expressing it outwardly.
Anxiety and depression levels in Kyoto were significantly higher 2.5 years post-disaster compared to immediately after.
Anger symptoms were prevalent among those living near the disaster site, while anxiety and depression were more pronounced in those farther away.
The findings highlight the need for mental health services for both directly affected youth and those living in less impacted areas.

Simplified

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake devastated the Tohoku region, which led to a tsunami and a nuclear disaster. While these three disasters caused tremendous physical damage, their psychological impact remains unclear. The present study evaluated traumatic responses, internalizing (i.e., anxiety and depression), and externalizing (i.e., anger) symptoms among Japanese young people in the immediate aftermath and 2.5 years later. A total of 435 undergraduates were recruited from universities in three differentially exposed regions: Fukushima, Tokyo, and Kyoto. They completed a set of questionnaires retrospectively (i.e., September to December 2013) to measure their traumatic responses, anxiety and depressive symptoms, functional impairment, and anger immediately after the disaster and 2.5 years later. Participants in Tokyo had the highest level of traumatic response and internalizing symptoms immediately after the earthquake, whereas those in Fukushima had significantly higher levels of trait anger, anger-in (holding one's anger in), and anger-out (expressing one's anger externally). In Kyoto, the levels of anxiety and depression after 2.5 years were significantly higher than they were immediately after the disasters. In conclusion, anger symptoms were high among young people who lived at or near the center of the disasters, while anxiety and depression were high among those who lived far away from the disasters. These findings suggest the importance of providing mental health services to young people who did not live near the disaster area as well as to those living in the directly affected area.

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Mental health problems in college students from Fukushima, Tokyo, and Kyoto after the March 11 Tohoku earthquake

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