Japan’s Jomon people survived volcanic disaster through migration
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An international research team led by Lund University investigated how people in prehistoric Japan responded to the Kikai-Akahoya volcanic eruption, which occurred around 7,300 years ago.
The Jomon people, hunter-gatherers living in Japan at the time, faced earthquakes, tsunamis, and widespread volcanic ash. Previous theories suggested the eruption either caused total collapse of the population or allowed for complete survival, but the new study reveals a more nuanced outcome.
Researchers found that while the eruption caused population decline due to ecosystem damage and uninhabitable areas, people demonstrated resilience. Survivors migrated to new areas, formed new social connections, and adapted their economies. In some regions, populations even increased after the disaster. The study identified regional differences in how people coped. In southern Kyushu, a region already sparsely populated before the eruption, the disaster had a limited impact on highly mobile groups.
Northern Kyushu, which experienced population growth before the eruption, continued to grow, potentially due to people fleeing the worst-hit areas. Inland survivors moved to northern coastlines, benefiting from quickly recovering marine ecosystems. More distant regions of Japan saw population stagnation or decline, possibly due to climate change or impacts on animal food supplies.
