Key Points
- Misato Kaetsu, a resident of Kumamoto, developed “Imakoko Navi” immediately following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake to provide granular, real-time local information.
- The platform was built using the AI tool Claude, allowing Kaetsu to deploy a functional site within hours of the disaster despite not being a professional programmer.
- The site relies entirely on user-generated content, filling a critical information gap by providing neighborhood-level details on water supplies, open stores, and gasoline availability.
- A crowdfunding campaign was launched to sustain the platform after server costs surged due to high traffic, reaching over 150,000 users and 43,000 posts.
Full Transcript (English)
Host (Jun Hori): Thank you for joining us today. I’d like to ask about the background of how “Imakoko Navi” was launched. It contains a significant amount of information and has become an essential resource that I see mentioned frequently across social media.
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): Initially, I was a victim of the disaster myself. I evacuated to a shelter around 7:00 PM on the day it hit. Since there were no televisions, I spent my time checking social media to understand the current state of Kumamoto. I had managed to get gasoline that day, but supermarkets closed immediately, leaving us unable to buy anything. My home also lost water. I saw many posts from people in similar trouble—running out of baby milk or unable to find fuel. On platforms like Threads, people were commenting to each other saying, “I could buy this here” or “The line over there wasn’t that long.” I realized that rather than these scattered individual interactions, it would be much more convenient to have a centralized bulletin board where everyone could contribute. Based on my experience from the earthquake ten years ago, I had a good idea of what information would be needed immediately. I sometimes use AI for work and had built simple sites and apps before, so I thought I might be able to create something. I used an AI called Claude and started building it around 10:00 PM that same night.
Host: Could you explain the specific features and how to use “Imakoko Navi”?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): “Imakoko Navi” provides the information needed most immediately during a disaster: which stores are currently open, locations for water distribution, food kitchens, and where supplies are being handed out. It also tracks power outages, water service disruptions, and volunteer recruitment. Users don’t need to register; anyone can post updates or view the information in real-time. To use it, you simply select your specific region and then choose a category, such as “water supply” or “gas station.” You can see the latest updates from people who actually went to those spots. For example, someone might add a note saying, “Water was running a moment ago, but it stopped after 10 minutes,” or “It seems they are distributing water in reduced amounts now.” This provides much more current information than when the spot was first registered.
Host: When you first launched it, what kind of information was the main focus, and how did you expand it?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): At first, it was supermarkets, convenience stores, gasoline, and water supply points where people could get well water. I also included toilets. Later, users requested information on coin laundries and restaurants, so I added those categories, along with more detailed tracking for water and power outages.
Host: How did you go about acquiring the initial data? Did you use public data or APIs?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): It is entirely based on information that anyone can write in. It’s everyone’s information. People who see the site post about the stores they visited or things they heard. Initially, I manually entered a few dozen items I found on social media, but everything else has been written by the users themselves.
Host: That’s incredible. Seeing that information accumulate must have been a great support for you as well.
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): It really was. It’s amazing how detailed the posts are. For example, someone might write, “This store is limited to two 2-liter bottles per person,” or “There are about 30 people in line right now,” or “The food kitchen has this much left and will run until this time.” Even though everyone is in a difficult situation, they aren’t just thinking of themselves; they are taking the time to post on “Imakoko Navi” to help others. It’s truly impressive.
Host: You mentioned your experience from ten years ago. What was your situation during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): At my home, we had no water or electricity. The hair salon I ran was also without water, power, and gas for about two weeks. Securing gasoline was difficult, and my children were only three and five years old at the time, so finding diapers was a huge struggle. Back then, Facebook was the main source of information, but I could only see posts from people I knew. I couldn’t get a broad view of what was happening across Kumamoto. We just helped those we knew.
Host: Where were you located then?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): In Mifune Town. It’s a bit in the mountains. My house was partially destroyed and eventually had to be demolished. My parents evacuated to my place, and we all lived together in a cramped space or moved into temporary housing.
Host: What is the current situation regarding damage and recovery in this latest earthquake?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): At my place, we only lost water, though there was a brief power outage at the start. The water was out for about four days. Many things fell and broke because the shaking was quite strong. Our TV fell and was destroyed. Not having water is the hardest part—you can’t wash your face, wash dishes, cook, or even flush the toilet.
Host: Mass media news tends to focus on the biggest incidents, like the fire at the Wajima morning market or collapsed structures. Granular information that supports daily life is often hard to get from traditional media. This seems to be a structural problem that hasn’t changed much.
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): Yes. While local government offices are nearby and doing what they can, “Imakoko Navi” allows for a bottom-up approach where the voices of the victims themselves are shared. Even within Kumamoto, I only really know my immediate surroundings, but this site allows me to see the situation of the entire region in real-time. It’s also helpful for people living in other prefectures who are worried about their families here.
Host: How did you decide on the name “Imakoko Navi”?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): I actually asked an AI for suggestions. I wanted something related to “helping each other,” but nothing quite fit. I thought something ending in “Navi” would be easy to remember and search for. Since it tells you what is happening “Right Now” (Ima) and “Right Here” (Koko), I went with “Imakoko Navi.” I didn’t have much time to overthink it; I just wanted something simple.
Host: You’ve started a crowdfunding campaign. Is this because you need more support from the public now?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): Because I built it quickly with AI without deep technical knowledge, the site was set up to auto-update very frequently. This put a massive load on the servers. It was like a “pay-as-you-go” water bill for server usage. By the third day, the costs had already reached 130,000 yen. I was paying this out of my own pocket, but I realized it was going to become a serious problem. I set up a support page, and later, a company called Elvows reached out to help optimize the site, which has reduced the costs somewhat. However, we don’t know how long this situation will last or how long the site will be needed. I want to keep it running as long as it’s necessary and perhaps even make it available for other regions in the future.
Host: So even with optimization, it’s still costing 10,000 to 20,000 yen a day? That is a heavy burden for an individual.
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): Yes. But the response to the crowdfunding has been very encouraging. Even people who aren’t directly affected have sent messages of support. It’s very moving.
Host: Regarding the water recovery, official announcements might say “water is restored to this many households in this area,” but “Imakoko Navi” shows the reality—like water coming back but stopping again after 10 minutes. That level of detail is vital.
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): Exactly. I’ve updated the site about 70 times already based on user feedback. For example, we added a “cloudy water” status because just having water isn’t enough if it’s not clean. Being an individual developer allows me to make these changes instantly. We also see very specific needs being met. For example, elderly people can’t carry large water jugs, so posts about where small PET bottles are available are very helpful. We also see info on soft foods for those in nursing care or specific pet food for exotic pets. You wouldn’t know these needs existed unless someone spoke up.
Host: How many people are using the site now?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): We have about 150,000 users and have received over 43,000 posts.
Host: That is a massive amount of mutual support. Finally, do you have a message for people across the country who are watching this?
Guest (Misato Kaetsu): If you look at the site, you will see the “real” Kumamoto. Usually, we don’t even know the names or faces of our neighbors, but in a disaster, you see so many people doing something for total strangers. It gives me a lot of hope. I want people to know that when a disaster happens, a tool like this can help us help each other. I hope this spirit of mutual aid reaches everyone.
