Initiatives for Adapting to
Climate Change in Japan
16thKawasaki International Eco-Business Forum
November 13, 2019

Mimi Nameki
Center for Climate Change Adaptation
National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan

July 2018 Torrential Rains- A seasonal rain front that stalled near Honshu became increasingly active, and the torrential rainfall brokerecords over a wide area of Western Japan- Umajimura in Kochi Prefecture recorded total precipitation of more than 1,800mm (higher than theaverage annual rainfall in Tokyo, which is 1,528.8mm)- The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) stated that an increase in water vapor in connection with global
warming also contributed to the downpours.
Kagamino-cho,Tomata-gun,Okayama Pref.
OmbaraAkiota-cho,
Yamagata-gun,
Hiroshima Pref.
Uchiguroyama

Chizu-cho,Yazu-gun,Tottori Pref.
Chizu

Fukuchiyama City,
Kyoto Pref.
SakauraGujo City, Gifu Pref.
Hirugano

Sawara-ku, Fukuoka City,
Fukuoka Pref.
Sawarawakiyama
Saga City,
Saga Pref.
Hokuzan

Sasayama City, Hyogo Pref.
Shitsukawa
Unzen
City,
NagasakiPref.
Unzendake

Saijo City, Ehime Pref.
JojyusyaUmajimura, Aki-gun, Kochi Pref.
YanaseTotal rainfall from June 28 to July 8

Asakita-ku, Hiroshima City

JMA website[Damage to public infrastructure]
Category

Cost of damage (100 million yen)
Hiroshima Pref.

[Damage to agriculture etc.]
Category

Okayama Pref.

Crops etc.

16

Agriculturalland/facilities

140

Rivers

465.7

115.6

Roads

274.0

130.0

Sediment-control
facilities

130.2

14.1 Forests/plains

Other

108.2

Total

978.0

41.4 Fisheries
302.1*Hiroshima Pref.: 15:00 on August 17, Okayama Pref.: 14:00 on August 23

Cost of damage( billion yen)

Total

[Damage to companies]Hiroshima Pref.:Okayama Pref.:Suspension of operations

618 business sites*total of direct and indirect damage*as of 12:00 on August 17

Commercial / industrial
damage1,179 cases, 21 billion yen*as of August 23

127[Human casualties]
221 persons nationwide (14 prefectures)2(Hiroshima Pref.: 108, Okayama Pref.: 61,Ehime Pref.: 27)285*as of 13:00 on August 21*as of 13:00 on August 27; reports from 36 prefectures

Sources: “Damage from July 2018 Torrential Rains” (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), “Recovery” and “Corporate Damage Survey” (Hiroshima Prefecture website),
Damage from July 2018 Torrential Rains (Okayama Prefecture), “Damage from July 2018 Torrential Rains” (Cabinet Office), “Overview of Landslides due to July 2018
Torrential Rains” <Preliminary Version> (Vol.5) (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport), “July 2018 Torrential Rains” and “Characteristics and Causes ofRecord High Temperatures from mid-July” (JMA)2

October 2019 Typhoon- Typhoon Hagibis brought heavy rain, violent winds, high waves, and storm surges over a widearea- Shizuoka Pref., Niigata Pref., the Kanto/Shinetsu region, and the Tohoku region, in particular,
saw record rainfall in numerous locations- As a result of the heavy rain, rivers burst their banks over a wide area, and there was also
damage due to landslides and water inundation
Total rainfall during period October 10-13, 2019

Fudaimura, Shimohei-gun, Iwate Pref.

Fudai

Marumorimachi, Igu-gun, Miyagi Pref.

Hippo

JMA website

Chichibu City, Saitama Pref.
UrayamaHakonemachi,
Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Pref.

HakoneHinoharamura, Nishitama-gun, TokyoInundation from flooding of Naka River(Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture)

Ozawa
Izu City, Shizuoka Pref.

Yugashima

Asahi Shimbun Digital, October 14, 2019

[Human casualties]

Nationwide*as of November 3, 2019 (Cabinet Office)

DeadMissing

95

5

InjuredSeriousLight

Degreeunknown

404320*There are also people with whom contact cannot be made[Damage to homes]*as of November 3, 2019 (Cabinet Office)Partially
Destroyed destroyed Damaged
Nationwide

1830

7338

9967

Inundation
above
floor level

Inundation
below
floor level

33180

37035

[Damage to basic infrastructure]
Without power: As many as approx. 520,000 homes
Without water: At least 134,935 homes[Damage to agriculture etc]
254 billion yen*as of November 12[Riverbank breaches]
298 rivers (total for nationally- and prefecturallymanaged rivers)

Sources: ”Heavy Rain, Violent Winds, etc. from Typhoon Hagibis (October 15, 2019, JMA), “Response to Power Outages due to Typhoon Hagibis (October 13, 2019, Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry), “Damage due to Typhoon Hagibis” (No.11) (October 16, 2019, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare), “Damage due to Typhoon Hagibis” (6:00 on October 16, 2019, Cabinet Office)3

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Impending Impact of Climate Change (Japan)
Annual mean temperatures have risen by approximately 1.21℃
over the past 100 years
Annual mean temperature deviation in Japan

Difference compared with mean for 1981-2010 (°C)

Trend = 1.21 (°C/100 years)

1.21℃

JMA

Year

Source: Annual Mean Temperatures in Japan, JMA website: http://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpdinfo/temp/an_jpn.html

4

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Impending Impact of Climate Change (Japan)
The annual numbers of extremely hot days, sultry nights, andwaterfall-like rainfall (50mm or more per hour) are increasing

Annual no. of days on which minimum daily temperature was
25°C or higher (sultry nights) [average for 13 locations nationwide]

Annual no. of occurrences of rainfall of 50mm
or more per hour nationwide [Amedas]

JMA

No. of days per location

Trend = 17 (days / 100 years)

No. of occurrences per 1,300 locations

The number of sultry nights is risingby 1.7 days every 10 years

The incidence of waterfall-likerainfall is rising by
27.5 occurrences every 10 years

Trend = 27.5 (occurrences / 10 years)

JMA

Year

Source: Changes in Heavy Rain, Extremely Hot Days, etc.(Extreme Weather),
JMA website, https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpdinfo/extreme/extreme_p.html

Year5Outline of the Climate Change Adaptation Act[Act No.50 of 2018]
Promulgated on June 13, 2018
Enforced on December 1, 2018

1. Comprehensive promotion of adaptation
 Clarification of roles played by national and local public entities, business operators, and citizens in the promotion of climate change adaptation.
 The national government formulated a Climate Change Adaptation Plan (approved by the Cabinet on November 27, 2018) to promote
adaptation in fields such as agriculture and disaster prevention, and monitoring and evaluation methods are being developed to gauge progress.
 The JMOE will perform climate-change impact assessments approximately once every five years, and the plan will be revised based on theresults of these assessments.

Lifestylesof citizens

Industrial andeconomicactivities

HealthNaturaldisasters

Naturalecosystems

Water,
environment,and resources

Agriculture,
forestry,and fisheries

Promotion of effective adaptation measures based on reliable, detailed information in each field
Based on scientific insights concerning future impact:- Develop/popularize heat-resilient crop varieties- Establish fishing zones that reflect changes in the geographicaldistribution of fish species- Steadily construct physical infrastructure such as levees andflood-control facilities- Promote the production of hazard maps
- Promote measures to tackle heatstroke

2. Development of information platforms

3. Strengthening adaptation at the regional level Position NIES at heart of information
platform for adaptation.

 Prefectures and municipalities are requested to develop Local
Climate Change Adaptation Plans.

Key information from the Climate Change Adaptation Platform(from NIES website)
Future projections
for rice harvests

Future projections
for sandy-beacherosion

 Regions should establish structures for the collection and provisionof adaptation information (Centers for Climate ChangeAdaptation).
 Establish Regional Councils, and implement adaptation
measures in cooperation with the national and local public entities.

<Period>
End of 21st century(2081-2100)<Scenario>
Rigorous global
warming mitigation
measures are taken(RCP 2.6)

4. International expansion of adaptation measure, etc.
 Promote international cooperation.

*Harvest high-quality rice

http://www.adaptation-platform.nies.go.jp/index.html

 Encourage action by business operators and the establishmentof adaptation businesses.

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CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Establishment of CCCA
(Established on December 1, 2018)

Functions of CCCA
 Promotion of adaptation research activities and projects through cooperation with domestic
research institutes
 Collection, analysis, and provision of information on impact/adaptation with relevantorganizations, businesses, and individuals (information platform: Climate Change
Adaptation Platform (A-PLAT)) Cooperation with projects administer by local Climate Change Centers
 Provision of technical advice and assistance for the promotion of adaptation by localgovernments
 Support with adaptation measures through HR development and outreach programs Contribution to international initiatives in Asia and elsewhere (Asia-Pacific Climate

Change Adaptation Platform (AP-PLAT))

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CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Initiatives of the National Institute for Environmental
Studies towards Climate Change Adaptation- The Center for Climate Change Adaptation (CCCA) plays a key role in the collection,organization and analysis of information and the promotion of related research.
- The CCCA contributes to the promotion of measures for climate change adaptation
through the provision of results and technical advice.
[Adapted from material prepared by the MOEJ]

8CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Local Government Activities
on Adaptation

Adaptation by
local governments

Local climate change adaptationplans formulated based on Climate
Change Adaptation Act(as of September 12, 2019)

Total: 16 prefecturesand 12 cities

Shimonoseki City
Fukuoka City

Nagoya City
Amagasaki City

Sendai City

HiroshimaCityKawasaki CitySaga City<Prefectures>
Including the current plan

Shimada City
Sakai City

YokohamaCityFormulation of new plan

<Municipalities>
Blue: Including the current plan
Yellow: Formulation of new plan

Yokosuka City9CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Local Government Activities
on Adaptation
Adaptation by
local governments

Local climate change adaptation
centers established based on
Climate Change Adaptation Act(as of October 2, 2019)

Total:
13 prefectures

Activities by local
climate change
adaptation centers
are set to increase

Niigata Pref.
Nagano Pref.

Kagawa Pref.

Shiga Pref.

Ibaraki Pref.
Saitama Pref.

Fukuoka Pref.

Aichi Pref. Kanagawa Pref.
Mie Pref.
Shizuoka Pref.
Kochi Pref.
Miyazaki Pref.

Local government(agency organization etc.)

Regional research institute
University
Private-sector body

10

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Support Menu to Local Governments
 Participation as advisors and provision of explanations of initiatives/support at
Regional Council meetings organized by the MOEJ (seven locations nationwide) Dispatch of lecturers to regional seminars and provision of members for committees
 Hosting of training sessions, discussion meetings, and interviews for local governments
 Provision of advice on plans and pamphlets produced by local governments
Dispatch of lecturers

Participation in committees- Since September last year, we have dispatched lecturers
to 33 events with a total of more than 2,000 participants- Examples: Fukuoka Prefecture, Hokkaido, Chiba City,Nagano Prefecture, Niigata City, Koriyama City, etc.

- CCCA staff serve as members of committees, study groups,
etc. for Kyoto Prefecture/City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Nagasaki
Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Kawasaki City, etc. as well as
members of the selection committee for recruitment for theIbaraki Prefecture regional climate change adaptation center

December 5, 2018
Discussion meeting on local governments’adaptation promotion (98 participants)

December 6, 2018
Discussion meeting/interviewson local governments’ adaptation
promotion (37 participants)

August 29/30, 2019
Climate Change
Adaptation training(80 participants)

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CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Climate Change Adaptation Platform (A-PLAT) Homepage

12
http://www.adaptation-platform.nies.go.jp/index.html

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

National and Prefectural Information (WebGIS)
Predictions of climate change and impacts in each prefecture
RCP 2.6 (if rigorous global warming
mitigation measures are implemented)

Shizuoka Prefecture selected“Rice yield (focus on quality)”
MIROC5
RCP 2.6 and RCP 4.5
End of the 21st century

RCP 4.5 (if moderate global warming
mitigation measures are implemented)

Fields: climate, agriculture,water environment,
natural ecosystems,
natural disasters, health
Source: results of “Funds for the Comprehensive Promotion of Environmental
Research S-8, the Ministry of the Environment: Comprehensive Research into theAssessment of the impact of Global Warming and Adaptation Policies”

13CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

Establishing an Information Platform for the Asia-Pacific Region- AP-PLAT: Information platform for supporting adaptation planning and implementation in developing countries in
the Asia-Pacific region (officially announced on June 16, 2019 to coincide with the G20 ministers’ meeting)- AP-PLAT’s three main functions
1. Information platform provision: Provision of scientific data on climate change andimpact prediction
2. Support tools:Adaptation support through simple modeling, risk
mapping, and best-practice case studies
3. HR development:
Development of data sets and dispatch of experts incooperation with stakeholders
Climate risk information

Scientificknowledge

Asia-Pacific region
Adaptation planning
Implementation

MOEJ bilateralprojects
Adaptation
business

Capacity building
Information sharing withthe adaptation information
platform operated by the
Asian Development Bank(ADB)

National
adaptation plans

AP-PLAT launch ceremony
14(June 16, 2019, Nagano Prefecture)CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PLATFORM

IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere ina Changing Climate (SROCC)
 Risks to coastal areas will increase substantially throughout the 21st century due to rising sea levels(extremely high degree of certainty). For example, the annual cost of flood damage will be two or three
digits higher than now in percentage terms (high degree of certainty).
 Measures to improve coastal facilities, such as deploying early-warning systems and increasing
resilience to flooding, are often highly cost effective at present (high degree of certainty), but under future
conditions, they will be less effective unless combined with other measures (high degree of confidence).

Projected impact of rising sea levels in the middle of the 21st century andat the end of the 21st century (m/RCP2.6, 4.5, 8.5）
Source: IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (2019)15Summary
It is important that adaptation measures areimplemented in accordance with local conditions andthat are continuously reviewed.
NIES plays an integral role as a research
information platform relating to the impact of andadaptation to climate change, and contributes toinitiatives aimed at climate change adaptation:(1) through the collection, organization, analysis,
and provision of information(2) and the provision of technical advice to local
governments and Local Climate Change
Adaptation Centers (LCCACs).

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