Fire Prevention
Administration in Japan

International Fire Service Information Center

Introduction
We are pleased to announce the publication of the Japanese and English editions of “Fire Prevention
Administration in Japan” (revised in 2024).
This document is a revised edition of “Fire Prevention Administration in Japan (Japanese/English)”published in March 2013, which provides an easy-to-understand overview of fire prevention
administration in Japan.
Since the Fire Service Organization Act was enacted in 1948 and the local firefighting system
was established based on the principle of municipal firefighting, firefighting in Japan has steadily
developed through the efforts of all involved parties, and has played a major role in ensuring thesafety and security of the people. Throughout the course of firefighting up to the present day,firefighting activities at the time of a disaster are, of course, very important, but it is also paramountthat firefighting administrations, businesses, and citizens are each aware of their roles regarding andengage in fire prevention activities beforehand in order to prevent fires from occurring and minimize
damages if they do occur. To that end, fire defense organizations have been given great legal authority
to accomplish this.
In Japan, where population decline and the aging of society are expected to increase and worsen
in the future, the field of fire prevention administration is expected to play a large role even as thesocioeconomic conditions and people’s lives change dramatically with the times.
The first chapter of this document overviews the history of repeated legal reforms triggered by fires
involving large-scale fire prevention properties.
The second chapter overviews the organization responsible for firefighting administration, and thethird chapter discusses the laws and ordinances relating to fire prevention administration.
Chapters four and five offer concrete discussion about the status of efforts by the fire prevention
system based on various factors, including statistical data. Additionally, chapters six and seven discuss
the systems for fire investigation and fire engineers.
With this document, it should be possible to understand the basics of the status of the fire prevention
administration system and its operations in Japan.
We hope this document will be of use to a wide audience, not just by those involved in firefighting
nationwide, but also internationally.
March 2024
President of the International Fire Service Information Center
TAKEI Takeji

2

Table of Contents
Chap. 1 History of Fire Prevention Administration .............................................................................. 4
Chap. 2 Organization ............................................................................................................................. 6

1. National Organization ...................................................................................................................................6
2. Prefectural Organization .............................................................................................................................. 7
3. Municipal organization ................................................................................................................................ 7

Chap. 3 Laws and Regulations ............................................................................................................. 8

1. Laws and Regulations ................................................................................................................................. 8(1) Fire Service Organization Act ................................................................................................................ 8(2) Fire Service Act ....................................................................................................................................... 8
2. Ordinances ................................................................................................................................................... 9

Chap. 4 The Fire Prevention Administration Legal System .............................................................. 10

1. Fire Prevention Properties ......................................................................................................................... 10(1) Fire Prevention Consent ....................................................................................................................... 12(2) Fire Protection Equipment ................................................................................................................... 12(3) Notification of The Start of Installation ................................................................................................ 13(4) Notification of Beginning of Use .......................................................................................................... 13(5) On-site Inspections .............................................................................................................................. 14(6) Inspection Reporting ............................................................................................................................ 14(7) Handling Violations ............................................................................................................................... 18
2. Hazardous Materials Facilities .................................................................................................................. 20(1) Application for Permit to Establish ...................................................................................................... 20(2) Completion Inspections ....................................................................................................................... 20(3) On-site Inspections .............................................................................................................................. 21(4) Notification of Change to the Items, Quantities, or Multiple .............................................................. 22(5) Maintenance Management ................................................................................................................... 22(6) Notification of Discontinuation of Use ................................................................................................. 22

Chap. 5 The Current State of Fire Prevention Administration .......................................................... 23

1. Fire Prevention Properties ......................................................................................................................... 23(1) Fire Prevention in General Residences ................................................................................................ 23(2) Public Relations .................................................................................................................................... 26(3) Amount of Fire Prevention Consent ..................................................................................................... 26(4) Implementation Status of On-site Inspections .................................................................................... 27(5) State of Fire Prevention Management ................................................................................................. 29(6) Fire Management .................................................................................................................................. 31
2. Status of Hazardous Material Facilities .................................................................................................... 31

Chap. 6 Fire Investigation .................................................................................................................... 33
Chap. 7 Fire Engineers ......................................................................................................................... 36

1. Fire Prevention Managers ......................................................................................................................... 36
2. Disaster Prevention Managers .................................................................................................................. 36
3. Fire Protection Equipment Engineers ....................................................................................................... 37
4. Fire Protection Equipment Inspectors ...................................................................................................... 37
5. Qualified Inspectors of Fire Prevention Properties .................................................................................. 38
6. Qualified Inspector for Disaster Prevention Management ....................................................................... 38
7. Chief Supervisor (in-house firefighting team) ........................................................................................... 38
8. Hazardous Materials Engineers ................................................................................................................ 39
9. Qualified Preventive Technology Specialist .............................................................................................. 39

Reference data (Statistical) ................................................................................................................ 41

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Chap. 1

History of Fire Prevention Administration

Following the second world war, the reorganization of the fire service in Japan was advanced throughthe direction of General Headquarters (GHQ). The Valentine Report and the Olander Report each strongly
recommended that the fire service and the police service be separated. Additionally, Fire Service Administrator
George Angel, appointed at the end of 1945, made this his focus, and shaped post-war fire service in Japan. First,
the Volunteer Fire Corps Regulations was enacted April 30, 1947, replacing the “Civil Defense Unit” with the“Volunteer Fire Corps.” In accordance with the Fire Service Organization Act enacted in December of the same
year, fire service was separated from police service, and management of fire service was given to municipal
authorities. In accordance with the Fire Service Act enacted in the following year of 1948, the importance offire prevention was being defined, and fire departments were simultaneously being granted significant authority.
Concretely, “taking necessary measures for fire prevention,” “fire prevention consent on building confirmation,”“regulations regarding hazardous materials,” “fire protection equipment,” “fire investigation,” and more.
Afterwards, according to the change of societal conditions and the occurrence of various disasters, etc., afire prevention management system was developed, a certification system for fire protection equipment wasdeveloped, a system for fire protection equipment engineers was established, and fire retardant regulations were
implemented, while necessary regulations were simultaneously revised.
In the first half of the 1970s, a series of disastrous fires killing over 100 people broke out in large-scale fire
prevention properties, therefore in June 1974 a drastic amendment of the Fire Service Act was made to apply the(5/13/1972) Fire at the Sennichi Department Store Building in Osaka City (From the Fire and Disaster Prevention Museum)4

latest act and regulations to specified high-risk fire prevention properties, including existing properties.
Starting in the 2000s, as fires with many deaths and injuries have frequently occurred in small scale
establishments such as restaurants in multi-purpose buildings and social welfare facilities like group homes,
laws have been amended to prevent the re-occurrence of such events. Additionally, with the aim of smoothly
introducing new technology, performance-based regulations regarding the technical standards of fire protection
equipment have been introduced by the amendment of the Fire Service Act in 2003. This amendment enabled theuse of new special fire protection equipment in place of existing equipment.
Additionally, based on the increasing trend for the victims of residential fires to be the elderly that has
accompanied the advancement of an aging society, it became required to equip residences with residential fire
alarms in 2004. In recent years strengthening fire prevention measures in residences as well as in businessestablishments has become a priority of fire prevention administration.
Furthermore, as a response to the imminent threat of a Nankai Trough Earthquake or a Tokyo inland earthquake,the 2007 revision of the Fire Service Act introduced a disaster prevention management system that requires largescale and high-rise buildings to prepare firefighting plans for disaster prevention in response to earthquakes, etc.,
to appoint a disaster prevention manager who is responsible for emergency response and evacuation drills in theevent of an earthquake, and establish an in-house firefighting team to perform duties necessary to mitigate damage
caused by disasters.

(1/8/2006) Fire at a group home for elderly persons in
Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture (From the Fire andDisaster Prevention Museum)(9/1/2001) Fire at a multi-tenant building in Kabuki-cho,Shinjuku City (From the Fire and Disaster Prevention
Museum)Residential Fire (courtesy of Tokyo Fire Department)

5Chap. 2

Organization

In Japan, direct responsibility for the fire service belongs to the municipality, but from the perspective ofproviding uniform fire service nationwide, organizations related to fire service have been established across thecountry and prefectures.

Visual organization chart

1. National Organization

As Japan’s fire service organization, the FDMA was established as an external bureau of the Ministry ofInternal Affairs and Communications and the Commissioner of the FDMA was placed as the head. In orderto strengthen municipal fire services, the FDMA is responsible for systems related to firefighting activities,
rescue activities, ambulance services, fire prevention, and hazardous material regulation, etc., enhancementof firefighting facilities, training of firefighters, and nationwide assistance by dispatching national fire service
teams, etc., as well as various measures against disasters such as earthquakes, storms, and floods, promotion ofutilization of information technology in the fire and disaster prevention field, statistics and information aboutfire and disaster prevention, training and education for senior fire officers in the Fire and Disaster Management
College, dispatch of international fire and rescue teams, and international cooperation. Regarding fire prevention
administration, the FDMA also handles planning of fire prevention administration system such as fire safety
inspection, fire prevention management etc., as well as investigation of the causes of fires and spills of hazardous
materials etc..

62. Prefectural Organization

As for prefectures, as regional local governments encompassing municipalities, they are supposed tocommunicate with municipalities and coordinate among municipalities to ensure that municipal fire services
are adequately carried out. In addition, as necessary, they are supposed to provide guidance and advice tomunicipalities on matters related to fire service. In particular, fire academies have been established in eachprefecture to provide education and training for firefighters and volunteer fire corps members. Generally, adivision in charge of fire service is placed in prefectural departments.

3. Municipal organization

The responsibility for fire service is considered to be that of the municipality, and the respective chiefs are to
manage fire services. There are three types of fire service institutions: fire departments, fire stations, and volunteer
fire corps, and all or some are to be established as needed by each municipality. The head of the fire department is
to be the fire chief, the head of the fire station is to be the fire station chief, the head of the volunteer fire corps isto be the fire corps chief.
Additionally, in the area of the special wards of Tokyo (the 23 wards), the special wards shall take joint
responsibility for fire services, and the governor of Tokyo manages the fire services.

Outward appearence of a fire station (courtesy of Chiba City Fire Bureau)

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Chap. 3

Laws and Regulations

1. Laws and Regulations(1) Fire Service Organization Act
The Fire Service Organization Act was enacted on December 23, 1947. The law determines the mission of
the fire service in Japan; the administrative bodies related to fire service for municipalities, prefectures, and thenation; the integration of fire departments; and the relations of the various organizations. That is to say, it is thefoundational law for fire service organization in Japan.
The mission of fire service is provided in chapter one. That mission is to protect the people’s lives, health, andproperty from fires and to prevent other disasters and minimize damage.
Additionally, as organizations operating with the objective of protecting the lives, health, and property of thepeople already exist based on other laws, they must coordinate and cooperate in order to achieve the goal ofprotecting the people.
Chapters two and three designate fire service organizations in municipalities, prefectures, and the nation
as previously described. Chapter four determines the integration of fire departments, and chapter five therelationships between the various organizations.
(2) Fire Service Act
The Fire Service Act was enacted on July 24th, 1948. The objective of the Act is to contribute to maintaining
peace and order and contributing to the promotion of social and public welfare by preventing, guarding against,
and suppressing fires and minimizing damage from disasters. The law’s contents are comprised of fire prevention,
hazardous materials, fire protection equipment, fire precautions, firefighting activities, fire investigation,
ambulance services, rules, and punishments, etc.. Of these, the portion relating to fire prevention will be explained
in detail.
Regarding fire prevention, the act contains regulations concerning the right of fire chiefs, fire station chiefs, andother firefighters to issue orders when playing with fire outdoors, open air fires, etc., are deemed to be dangerous
to preventing fires; the right of firefighters to perform on-site inspections of business establishments, order thesubmission of documents, and collect reports; to order the suspension of use of fire prevention properties deemed
to be dangerous to preventing fires; for the fire chiefs’ or fire station chiefs’ consent to building permits, fire
prevention management systems, inspection of and reporting on fire prevention properties, in-house firefighting
teams, and equipment that utilizes fire.
Regarding hazardous materials, the Fire Service Act prohibits the storage and handling of hazardous materials
exceeding a certain amount in locations other than hazardous materials facilities (manufacturing facilities, storage
facilities, handling facilities), and also designates the followings: procedures for applying for construction of
hazardous materials facilities; permission, inspection, maintenance and revocation of permission; methods fortesting and qualification of personnel required for hazardous materials facilities; and initial response in the eventof an accident.
Regarding fire protection equipment, the act contains regulations regarding standards for fire protection
equipment that must be installed according to the use, scale, construction, maximum occupancy, etc. of fire
prevention properties, testing methods for fire protection equipment engineers who are qualified to carry out
inspections, construction, and maintenance, etc., and certification methods.
The law also establishes strict penalties against violators of its regulations in order to achieve the purpose of theact.

8

2. Ordinances

Laws related to fire service apply to, and fire services are carried out in, the whole country. However, despite
all being within Japan’s borders, depending on the unique climate and features of an area, it would be difficult toadequately achieve fire prevention goals with a single standard for the entire nation. Therefore, it is possible formunicipalities to enact ordinances.
Additionally, regarding some items (for example: equipment that utilizes fire, residential fire alarms,
regulations of hazardous materials below specified quantities, etc.), the law shall be considered as it is stipulated
in the municipal ordinance. Municipalities may enact ordinances in accordance with the standards stipulated bylaw, and using as reference the Fire Prevention Ordinance (example) which is a sample of the Fire Prevention
Ordinance presented by the FDMA.
In this way, each region will have appropriate standards in the Fire Service Act to start with, and it also
becomes necessary to conform to the fire prevention ordinances appropriate to the area.

9Chap. 4

The Fire Prevention Administration Legal System

1. Fire Prevention Properties

In Japan, fire departments are involved in various ways in fire prevention for certain types of fire prevention
properties(*) from the time they are planned until they are no longer in use.
Concretely, in the time from planning a fire prevention property until its use begins various standards suchas the necessary fire protection equipment, fire prevention management (appointing a fire prevention manager,
creation of a fire defense plan) are required to be met. Even afterwards, in order to ensure compliance with thestandards set forth in the law, fire protection equipment must be inspected, on-site inspections must be carried out
by fire departments, and violators must be handled.
Fire prevention properties, including general residences, hazardous materials facilities, etc., are regulated by
the Fire Service Act. Among them, detached houses built exclusively for residential use and row houses that share
only walls have classically been considered outside the scope of fire protection equipment regulations under theFire Service Act. However, the installation of residential fire alarms has been mandatory for new houses since2006. Subsequently, the requirement has been applied to existing residences since 2011.
The number of objects listed in Appended Table 1 of the Cabinet Order for the Enforcement of the Fire
Service Act to which fire prevention related laws and regulations (fire protection equipment and fire prevention
management, etc.) are to be applied is as follows.

Visual chart of fire prevention properties* The term “fire prevention property” means a forest, or a vessel or vehicle, a ship moored at a dock or a pier, a building
or other structure or property belonging thereto.

10Number of Fire Prevention Properties (from the 2022 Report)
Class of Fire Prevention PropertiesA) Theaters, etc.
(1)B) Public Halls, etc.
A) Cabaret Clubs, etc.
B) Entertainment Complexes, etc.
(2)C) Sex Services, etc.
D) Karaoke Boxes, etc.
A) Eateries, etc.
(3)B) Restaurants, etc.
(4)
Department Stores, etc.
A) Inns, etc.
(5)B) Residential Complexes, etc.
(1) Hospitals where patients requiring assistance for
evacuation are admitted(2) Clinics with 19 beds or less where patients requiring
assistance for evacuation are admitted.
A) (3) Hospitals(not including those listed in (1)), Clinics with 19
beds or less(not including those listed in (2)) and maternity
homes with beds
(4) Bed-less Clinics, Bed-less Maternity Homes
Subtotal(1) Short Term Care Facilities for the Elderly(2) Orphanages(6)(3) Nurseries
B)(4) Care Facilities for Disabled Children(5) Support Facilities for the Disabled, etc.
Subtotal(1) Disability Centers for the Elderly(2) Rehab Facilities(3) Nursery Schools, etc.
C)(4) Child Development Support Centers, etc.
(5) Welfare Centers for the Physically Handicapped, etc.
SubtotalD) Kindergartens(7)
Schools(8)
Libraries, etc.
A) Special Bathhouses, etc.
(9)B) Generic Bathhouses, etc.
(10) Railway Stations(11) Shrines and Temples, etc.
A) Factories, etc.
(12)B) Studios
A) Parking Lots, etc.
(13)B) Ship’s Hangars(14) Storage Facilities(15) Offices, etc.
A) Specified Multipurpose Fire Prevention Properties(16)B) Unspecified Multipurpose Fire Prevention Properties(16-2) Underground Shopping Centers(16-3) Partially Underground Shopping Centers(17) Cultural Heritage Properties(18) Arcades(19) Mountains and Forests
Total(Notes)Nationwide
4,532
64,311
1,379
8,496
174
2,271
2,426
86,598157,056
59,945
1,387,512

21 Major Cities
650
6,253
126
1,608
97
574
431
17,90628,4858,188
538,917

Ratio

5,722

1,053

18.4

2,875

576

20.0

9,278

2,323

25.0

45,72363,59845,708
221
133
530
7,832
54,42423,012
226
38,526
4,397
24,06990,23015,433
124,538
7,640
1,732
3,969
3,989
58,918484,014407
52,239702
336,405
496,580
385,715
281,620
60
7
9,648
1,260
0
4,247,828

8,575
12,527
8,854
36
31
76
1,336
10,333
4,029
42
8,701
707
4,080
17,5593,857
28,213
862
626
868
1,423
12,38871,340148
13,95086
53,613
110,560
146,649
128,925
52
6
1,533
470
0
1,219,223

18.8
19.7
19.4
16.3
23.3
14.3
17.1
19.0
17.5
18.6
22.6
16.1
17.0
19.5
25.0
22.7
11.3
36.1
21.9
35.7
21.0
14.7
36.4
26.7
12.3
15.9
22.3
38.0
45.8
86.7
85.7
15.9
37.3
28.7

14.3
9.7
9.1
18.9
55.7
25.3
17.8
20.7
18.1
13.7
38.8

1 Prepared based on the “Survey on the Actual Conditions of Fire Prevention Properties” (targeting those fire prevention properties
listed in Appended Table I of the Ordinance of Enforcement for the Fire Service Act that are listed in (1) through (16-3) and have a
total area of 150m2 or larger, and those listed in (17) through (19); the same hereafter)
2 The 21 major cities refer to the 23 wards of Tokyo and 20 ordinance-designated cities (Sapporo City, Sendai City, Saitama City,
Chiba City, Yokohama City, Kawasaki City, Sagamihara City, Niigata City, Shizuoka City, Hamamatsu City, Nagoya City, Kyoto City,
Osaka City, Sakai City, Kobe City, Okayama City, Hiroshima City, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka City, and Kumamoto City).

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(1) Fire Prevention Consent
When a building is to be constructed, in order to confirm that the building is in compliance with the relevantlaws and regulations, the building owner must apply for the “building confirmation” with the necessary plansand documents to the government agencies related to construction (building officials, designated confirmationand inspection bodies). The application is forwarded to the competent fire chief or fire station chief, who
examines them as necessary from the viewpoint of fire safety and firefighting activities, and returns them to theadministrative agency approved if they are not in violation of any fire prevention measures, or disapproved if theyare. Therefore, it is possible for the construction of a building to be halted at the planning stage due to problems
relating to fire safety or firefighting activities.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 7

Examination for fire prevention consent (courtesy of Tokyo Fire Department)(2) Fire Protection Equipment
Fire protection equipment can be broadly classified into 3 categories: firefighting equipment, water source for
firefighting, and facilities necessary for firefighting activities. Depending on the scale and use of fire prevention
properties, necessary equipment and facilities of these are stipulated in regulations.
Among these categories, firefighting equipment can be divided into fire extinguishing equipment, alarmsystems, and escape equipment. First, for fire extinguishing equipment there are fire extinguishers and simple
fire extinguishing tools (water buckets, water tanks, dry sand, vermiculite, pearlite), indoor fire hydrant
systems, automatic sprinkler systems, water spray extinguishing systems, foam extinguishing systems, inert gas
extinguishing systems, halon extinguishing systems, dry chemical extinguishing systems, outdoor fire hydrant
systems, power driven fire pumps. Next, for alarm systems there are automatic fire alarm systems, gas leakage
alarm and indication systems, electric leakage fire alarm systems, fire alarm systems that notify fire departments,
emergency alarm apparatuses, and emergency alarm systems. For escape equipment, there are emergency exit
lights and signs.
In addition to these, the facilities necessary for firefighting activities are, primarily, facilities that support
the firefighting activities of fire brigades, including smoke ventilation systems, sprinkler systems with hoseconnections, standpipe systems, emergency electrical outlets, and auxiliary radio communication systems.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 17

12

Examples of fire protection equipment: fire extinguisher, emergency exit light(3) Notification of The Start of Installation
When installing fire protection equipment in a fire prevention property, aside from some simple equipment, aClass A fire protection equipment engineer must submit the necessary plans and documents to the fire chief, or
fire station chief. The fire department examines the report and makes changes to the plans and offers guidance asnecessary.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 17-14(4) Notification of Beginning of Use
When installation is completed, the related parties notify the fire chief or fire station chief via a notificationof the installation of fire protection equipment. Based on this, the fire department conducts an investigation
confirming that there are no issues with the fire prevention property or fire protection equipment that would cause
any issues for fire prevention and that installation was carried out according to the previously presented plans.
Additionally, when the fire prevention property is completed, a notification of beginning of use must be
submitted in accordance with municipal ordinances, and based on this an inspection may be carried out.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Prevention Ordinance (Example) Article 43

On-site Inspection (courtesy of Tokyo Fire Department)13

(5) On-site Inspections
When necessary for fire prevention, fire departments may enter any place of business, factory, place with publicaccess, etc., and examine the placement, construction, installation, and management of firefighting objects, andquestion relevant personnel. On-site inspection is not limited by timing, and fire departments may enter any place
during its business hours or during operation, etc.. Additionally, prior notification is unnecessary. Finally, they
may require relevant personnel to submit data or reports as needed.
However, regarding personal residences, entry is not permitted except when the consent of the person
concerned has been received or in case of emergency.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 4

On-site Inspection (courtesy of Tokyo Fire Department)(6) Inspection Reporting
Personnel relevant to a fire prevention property are obligated to report to fire departments regarding thefollowing issues, depending on the use and scale of the property they own or manage.
First, the functionality of fire protection equipment that has been installed in accordance with the Fire Service
Act is required to be tested periodically and reported to the fire chief or fire station chief.
Of fire prevention properties that must be reported, high fire risk properties (for example specified
properties(*) with a total area of 1,000㎡ or more, and aside from the specified properties, those properties witha total area of 1,000㎡ or more that have been designated for fire safety reason by a competent fire chief or firestation chief), are required to have an inspection on fire protection equipment by a qualified individual (fireprotection equipment engineer or fire protection equipment inspector).
The reporting period for specified properties is once per year, and for properties aside from specified properties
is once per three years.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 17-3-3* Specified fire prevention properties are properties used by an unspecified number of people or properties that are
difficult to evacuate in the event of a fire and have a high risk of causing significant harm to human life.

14

Next, for fire prevention properties like shown in example 1, it is required that a qualified inspector of fire
prevention properties perform an inspection once per year regarding the implementation of fire prevention
management in conformity to fire related laws and regulations and to report those results to the fire chief or firestation chief.
Additionally, for fire prevention properties like shown in example 2, it is required that a qualified disastermanagement inspector perform an inspection once per year regarding the implementation of disaster management
and to report those results to the fire chief or fire station chief.
Through these inspections, those related to the fire prevention property can confirm their own safety against
fires, earthquakes, and other disasters. Additionally, by receiving the relevant reports, fire chiefs and fire station
chiefs are able to grasp the state of fire prevention properties and make practical use of on-site inspections asnecessary, enabling them to effectively confirm the safety of such properties.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 8-2-2, as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Fire Service Act Article
36 Paragraph 1

Example 1: Properties requiring fire prevention inspectionsi) Buildings with a capacity of 10 or more (fire prevention properties listed in Paragraph (6)(b), (16)(a) and (162) of Appended Table 1 of the Cabinet Order for the Enforcement of the Fire Service Act (limited to those witha portion used as fire prevention property as listed in Paragraph (6)(b)), or buildings with a capacity of 30 ormore people that meet the following requirements:
1. The portion of the building specified for use is located in the basement or on the third floor or higher(excluding the evacuation floor).
2. There is only a single staircase.
ii) Certain buildings (specified fire prevention properties) with a capacity of 300 or more people

15

Example 2: Properties requiring disaster management inspections

16

17

(7) Handling Violations
The fire chief or fire station chief will instruct management officials to quickly correct violations of fire related
laws and regulations found by on-site inspections, etc., with an emphasis on human safety. In cases where it isdeemed the risk to human life is high and improvement must be made immediately, or in cases where time has
passed with no improvement, the procedures for handling violations will progress.
Violations are handled through warnings, orders, revocation of certification, criminal accusations, fines,
administrative subrogation, and informal administrative subrogation, and are determined taking the specifics ofthe violation, the danger to human life, the probability of a disaster occurring, etc. into account.
How Violations are Handled

Warnings

A declaration that informs the parties relevant to the fire prevention property and urges themto correct said violations or eliminate said fire hazards, and notifies that legal action such as
an order or criminal accusation will be taken should they not comply. In principle, warnings are
given as a preliminary measure prior to issuing an order, and serve as administrative guidancein nature.

Orders

A declaration to a relevant party requiring the elimination of specific fire hazards or thecorrection of specific violations of the Fire Service Act and related regulations issued by anauthority such as a mayor, fire chief, or fire station chief as an administrative body that utilizes
civil authority based on the stipulations of the Act. Usually, enforced indirectly via the threat ofpunishment.

Revocation of
Certification

Penalties such as the revocation of certifications based on facts falling under the provisionsof Article 8-2-3, Paragraph 6 of the Fire Service Act with respect to fire prevention properties
that have received special certification under Article 8-2-3, Paragraph 1 of the Fire Service Act.

Criminal
Accusation

A declaration of intent to punish a violator through prosecution by reporting them to an
investigative agency in order to correct their violations when penal provisions are designated incases where an order has been violated or a provision has been directly violated.

Administrative
Subrogation

Administrative subrogation refers to cases where a responsible party does not perform, isdelayed in performing, or is unlikely to perform, their obligation to perform an act that can be
performed by another person on their behalf under a law or administrative disposition, where
it is deemed extremely contrary to the public interest to leave the obligation to the original
responsible party, and where it is difficult to achieve performance other than by another person
performing the act on their behalf. In these cases, the administrative agency itself or a third
party shall perform the act that the responsible party is obligated to perform and collect thecost of the act from that party.

18

Flowchart of the Handling of Violations19

2. Hazardous Materials Facilities

Hazardous materials are indispensable to people’s lives and energy source for electric power, traffic, andtransportation, as well as raw materials for plastics, chemical fibers, and more. On the other hand, they have thefollowing characteristics which results in them causing more serious damage than ordinary fires: (1) high risk ofstarting fires, (2) high risk of spreading fires (rapid burning speed), and (3) difficult to extinguish fires. The Fire
Service Act defines hazardous materials as those having certain properties in terms of fire hazard, prohibits thestorage or handling of hazardous materials above a certain quantity at locations other than hazardous materials
facilities (manufacturing, handling, or storage facilities), and requires a permit or completion inspection by themayor of the municipality, etc. when establishing such facilities.
Additionally, standards for the location, structure, and equipment of hazardous material facilities, as well as
for the storage and handling of hazardous materials, have been established from the perspective of ensuringsafety, and a system for the involvement of municipal mayors and others, such as on-site inspections, has beendeveloped to ensure the safety of such facilities. In addition, as a system for the purpose of having an independent
safety measures, the regulations stipulate the appointment of a hazardous materials safety supervising manager,
safety supervisor, and facility safety staff; the establishment of fire prevention regulations; the implementationof periodic inspections; the establishment of in-house firefighting teams; and matters related to the Hazardous
Materials Safety Techniques Association.
(1) Application for Permit to Establish
An individual who intends to establish a hazardous materials facility or to change the location, structure, or
equipment of such a facility shall obtain permission from the mayor of the municipality, etc.
Upon receiving an application for a permit to establish or modify a hazardous materials facility, the mayorof the municipality, etc. shall examine the application for the permit and grant the permit if the following two
conditions are met:
• The location, structure, and equipment used in the hazardous materials facility conforms to technical standards.
• The storage or handling of hazardous materials at the hazardous materials facility does not interfere with thepreservation of public safety or the prevention of disasters.
(2) Completion Inspections
Following the establishment or modification of a hazardous materials facility, the mayor of the municipality,
etc., shall conduct a completion inspection based on the application.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 11 Paragraph 1

When a completion inspection shows that a hazardous materials facility complies with the technical standardsof Article 10, Paragraph 4 of the Fire Service Act, a completion inspection certificate is issued, and only then can
the facility be used as a hazardous materials facility.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 11 Paragraph 2

20

Completion Inspection (courtesy of Chiba City Fire Bureau)(3) On-site Inspections
Similar to on-site inspections of fire prevention properties, on-site inspections by fire officials are allowed
for hazardous materials facilities and other facilities (all locations where hazardous materials in excess ofthe designated quantity are, or might be, stored or handled). The major difference from on-site inspections offire prevention properties is that appropriate items can be expropriated (taken without compensation) only tothe extent necessary to analyze whether the items stored, handled, or manufactured fall under the category ofhazardous materials as specified in the Fire Service Act.
If, as a result of the on-site inspection, it is found that the Fire Service Act has been violated, the mayor of
the municipality, etc., may issue an order to the relevant personnel at the hazardous materials facility requiring
compliance with the standards for storage or handling, or an order to comply with the standards for the location,
structure and equipment of the facility, etc.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 16-5

On-site Inspection (courtesy of Tokyo Fire Department)21

(4) Notification of Change to the Items, Quantities, or Multiple
In the event of a change in the item, quantity, or multiple of a hazardous material to be stored or handled
without changing the location, structure, or equipment of the hazardous material facility, notification must be
made to the mayor of the municipality, etc. at least 10 days prior to the intended date of the change.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 11-4(5) Maintenance Management
Imposes on the relevant parties of a hazardous materials facility the obligation to maintain standards for thelocation, structure, and equipment of said facilities in accordance with Article 12, Paragraph 1 of the Fire Service
Act. Additionally, to ensure that this obligation is fulfilled by the parties concerned, an independent inspection
system by the relevant parties and a government inspection system have been established.
The independent inspection system by the relevant parties includes the periodic inspection system and thevoluntary inspection system based on fire prevention rules and the inspection system by the government includes
the on-site inspection system and the safety inspection system.
i) Periodic Inspections
Persons involved in certain hazardous materials facilities are required to have a hazardous material engineer
or a safety officer for hazardous materials facility periodically inspect the facility, at least once a year, prepare an
inspection record, and keep this record.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article14-3-2ii) Safety Inspections
Considering the severity of the damage a disaster would cause, the Fire Service Act requires the relevant partiesof certain hazardous materials facilities with large scale outdoor storage tanks with volume of 10,000 kiloliters ormore to undergo safety inspections conducted by the mayor of the municipality, etc..
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 14-3

(6) Notification of Discontinuation of Use
When a hazardous materials facility is no longer used for any reason, the relevant parties must notify themunicipality, etc., immediately.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 12-6

22

Chap. 5

The Current State of Fire Prevention Administration

1. Fire Prevention Properties(1) Fire Prevention in General Residences
Due to the increase in life expectancy and the declining birth rate, the proportion of elderly people in the
population has been increasing, and the proportion of deaths due to fire among the elderly has also been
increasing. Therefore, as a result of making it mandatory to install residential fire alarms and actively conducting
PR activities from the perspective of human safety, the nationwide residential fire alarm installation rate isbelieved to have reached around 84.3% (as of June 1, 2023).
Spread of residential fire alarms and state of residential fires (from the FDMA, Firefighting Trends 2022.10)

Additionally, the following points are being emphasized to promote residential fire prevention.
i)

The thorough promotion of the installation of residential fire alarms, proper maintenance and management
methods, specific information on the need for such alarms, and the replacement of old and deteriorating
residential fire alarms.
ii) The promotion of the spread of residential fire extinguishers and other residential disaster prevention devices.
iii) PR campaigns warning about the risk of fires caused by cigarettes.
iv) The publication and promotion of flame retardant goods.
v) Promoting PR and awareness-raising activities in cooperation with volunteer fire corps, women’s firefighting
clubs, and voluntary disaster prevention groups.
vi) Advancing PR campaigns based on local conditions.
vii The promotion of measures to prevent fatalities, with emphasis on identifying the elderly and other persons
requiring special considerations.
viii) The promotion of fire prevention measures during natural disasters such earthquakes and typhoons.

23In order to realize these points, the following PR activities for residential fire prevention are being
implemented.
i) Promoting the Replacement of Old and Deteriorating Residential Fire Alarms
Since the installation of residential fire alarms became mandatory in all residences in June 2011, and 10
years have passed since then, it is important to promote proper maintenance and management, such as periodic
inspections and the replacement of aging equipment. The FDMA is campaigning for the replacement of suchdevices for devices with additional functions such as wireless interconnected fire alarms, alarms that also detectand alert for abnormalities other than fires, and devices with auxiliary alarms that create sound and light.

Residential Fire Alarms (courtesy of the Japan Fire Equipment Inspection Institute)ii) Residential Fire and Disaster Prevention Campaign
With the aging of the population, the elderly account for an increasing proportion of deaths due to residential
fires. Using the catchphrase “Give the gift of ‘Guarding Against Fire’ on Respect for the Aged Day”, the“Residential Fire and Disaster Prevention Campaign” (campaign period: September 1 to 21) is being conducted(1) to remind the elderly to take precautions against fires and (2) to present elderly persons with residential fire
alarms and other residential disaster prevention equipment.
iii) Creation of the “10 Residential Fire Prevention Points to Save Lives”
In light of recent changes in the fire situation and the living conditions of the elderly, we have established the “10Residential Fire Prevention Points to Save Lives” and created leaflets and PSA videos that outline the points.

24

10 Residential Fire Prevention Points to Save Lives25

(2) Public Relationsi) Fireﬁghting Public Relations
Since the autumn of 1953, a nationwide fire prevention campaign has been held in the spring and fall of eachyear, with the aim of preventing fires, reducing the number of deaths, especially among the elderly, and preventing
loss of property by further spreading the concept of fire prevention during the fire-prone season.
Additionally, in order to establish an independent safety system at each business site through raising awarenessand promoting hazardous material safety, A “Hazardous Material Safety Week” has been established in June every
year to raise awareness, promote hazardous material safety, and to conduct educational activities for the public atlarge.
ii) Fireﬁghter Band
Firefighting bands have now been established in many fire departments, starting with the Tokyo Fire
Department Band, which was established as the first firefighter band in Japan on July 16, 1949. Firefighter bands
perform at various concerts, including firefighting events, to raise awareness and encourage cooperation in fireand disaster prevention.

Performance of a firefighter band (courtesy of Chiba City Fire Bureau)(3) Amount of Fire Prevention Consent
The fire prevention consent system is designed to improve building safety by involving fire departments, intheir capacity as fire prevention experts, in the fire prevention of buildings from the design stage.
There were 207,611 cases processed for fire prevention consent nationwide in the fiscal year of 2021, of which
13 cases were disapproved.
Year-long Amount of Fire Prevention Consent (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)
Breakdown

Approved
FY2020(Unit: cases)

Rejected
FY2021

FY2020Total
FY2021

FY2020

FY2021

New

187,643

186,7969

12

187,652

186,808

Added

15,89015,8764

1

15,894

15,877

Revised

517

438

0

0

517

438

Relocated

93

83

0

0

93

83

Repaired

112

114

0

0

112

114

77

109

0

0

77

109

1,790

1,651

1

0

1,791

1,651

Modified
Change of Purpose
Other

2,333

2,531

0

0

2,333

2,531

Total

208,455

207,598

14

13

208,469

207,611(Notes)

Prepared based on the “Survey of Fire Prevention Properties”						

26(4) Implementation Status of On-site Inspections
In accordance with Article 4 of the Fire Service Act, fire departments will conduct on-site inspections of fire
prevention properties together with questioning relevant personnel and checking documents to ascertain fire
prevention problems, the state of installation of fire protection equipment, and problems in fire and disasterprevention management. Should any problems be found, the agency will notify the property in writing regarding
implementing improvements, and follow up on the status of those improvements.
On-site inspections are usually carried out systematically by fire departments, once every few months or years,
based on their assessment of the condition of a fire prevention property. This system of intervention by fire
departments contributes greatly to ensuring the fire safety of such properties.
The status of on-site inspections of major fire prevention properties is as follows.
Implementation Status of On-site Inspections (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)
(1)

(2)

Class of FireA)
B)
Prevention
Public Halls,
Properties
Theaters, etc.
etc.
Numberof On-site
Inspections

1,997

A)
CabaretClubs, etc.

16,136251

Numberof On-site
Inspections
Class of Fire
Prevention
Properties

2,847

B)

Inns, etc.

Residential
Complexes,
etc.

Numberof On-site
Inspections(Notes)

Eateries, etc.

Restaurants,
etc.

786

641

29,06941,731

(7)

(8)

(9)

Schools

Libraries, etc.

SpecialBathhouses,
etc.

1,880

914

121

Hospitals,
etc.

Intensive Care
Old Folk’sHomes, etc.

Disability
Centers for
the Elderly

Kindergartens

17,41325,969

3,947

A)

B)

A)

B)

Factories,
etc.

Studios

Parking Lots,
etc.

Ship’sHangars

(9)

(10)

(11)

B)
Generic
Bathhouses,
etc.

Railway
Stations

961

753

Shrines andTemples, etc.

10,564(16-2)(16-3)

1900Prepared based on the “Survey of Fire Prevention Properties”

27

116

24,132

10,144

285

(14)

(15)

Storage
Facilities

Offices, etc.

54,306

(17)

(18)

(19)

(20)

Cultural
Heritage
Properties

ArcadesMountainsand Forests

Vehicles

4,210

Department
Stores, etc.

A)

(13)

66,967

B)

34,249D)(12)

Partially
Specified
Unspecified Underground Underground
Shopping
Multipurpose Multipurpose
Shopping
Centers
Fire Prevention Fire Prevention
Centers
Properties
Properties
94,912

KaraokeBoxes, etc.

C)14,114(16)
Class of Fire
Prevention
Properties

B)B)

119,013

A)

A)

A)

27,767

(4)

D)

(6)

A)

Numberof On-site
Inspections

C)

Entertainment
Sex Services,
Complexes,
etc.
etc.

(5)
Class of Fire
Prevention
Properties

(3)

B)

216

0

98

77,328

Total

684,027

On-site Inspection (courtesy of Chiba City Fire Bureau)

Additionally, if, as a result of on-site inspections, violations of the Fire Service Act and related regulations arefound, the fire chief or fire station chief issues warnings or orders requiring improvements, and makes efforts tocorrect the violations so that the facility will be in compliance with the law and regulations.
Status of the Issuance of Orders (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)
Cases
Type of orders
Orders Relating to Fire Prevention Properties(Fire Service Act Article 5, Article 5-2, and Article 5-3)

(FY2021)
Number of Cases
Corrected

Number of Orders
227

225

Orders Relating to Fire Prevention Management(Fire Service Act Article 8 and Article 8-2)

42

Orders Relating to Fire Protection Equipment(Fire Service Act Article 17-4)

215

93

Total

446

320

(Notes)1) Prepared based on the “Survey of Fire Prevention Properties”
2) The “number of cases corrected” is the number of cases corrected by March 31, 2022 based on orders issued between April 1,
2021 and March 31, 2022 (including cases where plans have been submitted and corrective measures are being implemented as ofMarch 31, 2022).

In particular, for fire prevention properties that are in serious violation (buildings that are required to haveindoor fire hydrant systems, sprinkler systems, or automatic fire alarm systems installed but are missing any ofsaid equipment, or that have systems that are not functioning properly), fire hazards are high, and therefore, basedon the seriousness of the violation, intensive instructions on how to improve are provided and, in cases where said
instructions are not followed, measures such as warnings and orders are implemented to ensure early correction of
the problems.

28

Investigation Results Regarding the Status of Measures Taken Against Fire Prevention Properties in Serious Violation ofFire Prevention Laws and Regulations (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service 1-1-64)
Number of Properties in Serious Violation

Fire
Protection
Equipment

FY2021

94,559Indoor Fire
FY2020
Hydrants

96,576FY201995,019FY2021

99,586FY202098,894FY201996,689FY2021

687,021

FY2020682,345

FY2019673,493Sprinkler
Systems

Automatic
Fire Alarm
Systems(Notes)Years Past From Notification of Violation

Number ofInvestigation Obligated
Reference Properties
Date

A

Number of Properties in the Process of Corrective Guidance / Corrective Action
Number of Properties
Currently Receiving
Administrative Guidance
Before Warning

Ratio of
Serious
Violations

More Than More Than More Than
5 Years,
More Than
3 Years,
Less Than 1 Year,
Unknown
1 YearLess Than Less Than Less Than 10 Years
10 Years
5 Years
3 Years
B(B/B)

C(C/B)

D(D/B)

E(E/B)

F(F/B)

G(G/B)

410

153

98

58

49

52

H(H/B)
0

I(B/A)

100.0%

37.3%

23.9%

14.1%

12.0%

12.7%

0.0%

458

159

127

48

50

74

0

100.0%

34.7%

27.7%

10.5%

10.9%

16.2%

0.0%

622

232

151

65

65

108

1

100.0%

37.3%

24.3%

10.5%

10.5%

17.4%

0.2%

88

44

21

10

9

4

0

100.0%

50.0%

23.9%

11.4%

10.2%

4.5%

0.0%

101

39

36

11

9

5

1

100.0%

38.6%

35.6%

10.9%

8.9%

5.0%

1.0%

125

50

42

14

8

11

0

100.0%

40.0%

33.6%

11.2%

6.4%

8.8%

0.0%

1,540

525

404

299

108

203

1

100.0%

34.1%

26.2%

19.4%

7.0%

13.2%

0.1%

1,745

564

673

121

106

280

1

100.0%

32.3%

38.6%

6.9%

6.1%

16.0%

0.1%

2,599

987

876

130

163

441

2

100.0%

38.0%

33.7%

5.0%

6.3%

17.0%

0.1%

0.43%
0.47%
0.65%
0.09%
0.10%
0.13%
0.22%
0.26%
0.39%

Number of
Number of Number of
Properties
Properties Properties
Criminally
Number of
WarnedOrderedAccused
Properties Given
Time Limit for
Improvements

J(J/B)

K(K/J)

M(M/J)

N(N/J)

410

310

L(L/K)
309

72

24

O(O/J)
4

100.0%

75.6%

99.7%

17.6%

5.9%

1.0%

458

360

284

65

30

3

100.0%

78.6%

78.9%

14.2%

6.6%

0.7%

622

467

359

116

36

3

100.0%

75.1%

76.9%

18.6%

5.8%

0.5%

88

57

56

22

9

0

100.0%

64.8%

98.2%

25.0%

10.2%

0.0%

101

67

52

20

14

0

100.0%

66.3%

77.6%

19.8%

13.9%

0.0%

125

84

60

29

11

1

100.0%

67.2%

71.4%

23.2%

8.8%

0.8%

1,540

1,297

1,289

173

62

8

100.0%

84.2%

99.4%

11.2%

4.0%

0.5%

1,745

1,482

1,185

192

65

6

100.0%

84.9%

80.0%

11.0%

3.7%

0.3%

2,599

2,225

1,726

287

84

3

100.0%

85.6%

77.6%

11.0%

3.2%

0.1%

Prepared based on the “Investigation Results Regarding the Status of Measures Taken Against Fire Prevention Properties in Serious
Violation of Fire Prevention Laws and Regulations”(5) State of Fire Prevention Management
In recent years, the increasing scale of fire prevention properties and the diversification of their uses has madefire protection management for such properties even more complex and difficult.
An individual with authority over the management of a fire prevention property that is used by many people
must appoint a fire prevention manager from among those with certain qualifications, have them prepare a“firefighting plan for fire protection management”, and have them perform the necessary tasks for fire prevention
management in accordance with this plan.
In addition, in the case of fire prevention properties with split management authority, the parties withmanagement authority must consult on matters related to tasks necessary for fire prevention management andjointly conduct said management.
The status of fire prevention management is as follows.

29

Status of Fire Prevention Management (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service 1-1-55)
Items

Class ofFire Prevention PropertiesA) Theaters, etc.
(1)B) Public Halls, etc.

(2)

(3)

(6)

Number of Properties That Have Createda Firefighting Plan for Fire Prevention
Management
Ratio of Creations
(%)

3,274

3,059

93.4

2,973

90.8

60,39850,87484.2

48,354

80.1

677

425

62.8

371

54.8

7,410

7,046

95.1

6,858

92.6

A)

Cabaret Clubs, etc.

B)

Entertainment
Complexes, etc.

C)

Sex Services, etc.

117

93

79.5

85

72.6

D)

Karaoke Boxes, etc.

2,120

2,002

94.4

1,939

91.5

A)

Eateries, etc.

1,880

1,659

88.2

1,569

83.5

B)

Restaurants, etc.

75,371

61,697

81.9

58,17077.2

Department Stores,
etc.

107,469

91,55685.2

87,49881.4

A)Inns, etc.

33,77331,27692.6

30,267

89.6

B)

Residential
Complexes, etc.

176,419

141,23480.1

131,325

74.4

A)

Hospitals, etc.

21,59019,84091.9

19,296

89.4

B)

Intensive Care Old
Folk’s Homes, etc.

43,22541,34995.7

40,557

93.8

C)Disability Centers for
the Elderly

51,267

48,741

95.1

47,710

93.1

D)

(4)
(5)

Number of Properties That Have
Number of
Properties Obligated Appointed a Fire Prevention Manager
to Manage Fire
Ratio ofPrevention
Appointments (%)

Kindergartens

9,263

9,015

97.3

8,815

95.2

(7)

Schools

41,77040,14696.1

39,15493.7(8)

Libraries, etc.

4,910

4,632

94.3

4,492

91.5

A)

Special Bathhouses,
etc.

1,170

1,071

91.5

1,044

89.2

B)

Generic Bathhouses,
etc.

2,318

2,163

93.3

2,070

89.3

(9)
(10)

Railway Stations

495

420

84.8

388

78.4

(11)

Shrines and Temples,etc.

24,364

20,48284.1

19,00678.0

38,22333,423

87.4

31,543

82.5

181

156

86.2

149

82.3

(12)
(13)

A)

Factories, etc.

B)

StudiosA)

Parking Lots, etc.

1,293

1,009

78.0

938

72.5

B)

Ship’s Hangars

75

41

54.7

37

49.3

(14)

Storage Facilities

10,972

8,452

77.0

7,954

72.5

(15)

Offices, etc.

99,766

83,518

83.7

78,92779.1

A)SpecifiedMultipurpose Fire
Prevention Properties

216,703

159,044(29,366)

73.4(13.6)

146,432(26,686)

67.6(12.3)

B)

Unspecified
Multipurpose Fire
Prevention Properties

41,28630,810(5,120)74.6(12.4)

28,283(4,655)

68.5(11.3)(16)(16-2)

Underground
Shopping Centers

60

36

60.0

34

56.7

(17)

Cultural Heritage
Properties

1,449

1,328

91.6

1,269

87.6

1,079,288

896,597

83.1

847,507

78.5

Total
(Notes)1 Prepared based on the “Survey of Fire Prevention Properties”
2 When more than one individual with the authority to manage a property, only recorded if all have appointed a fire prevention
manager or prepared a firefighting plan for fire prevention management.
		 Figures in parentheses are for partially appointed managers or partially created plans.

30(6) Fire Management
Among facilities and appliances that use fire and those that do not use fire but may cause fires, certain items(equipment and tools that utilize fire , etc.(*)) are to be specified by fire prevention ordinances in each municipality
in accordance with the standards specified by government ordinances regarding their location, structure,
management or handling, and other matters necessary for fire prevention.
Additionally, regarding regulations concerning the use of fire in fire prevention properties, the use of fire
itself is regulated by the fire prevention ordinances of municipalities, in addition to standards for equipment andtools that utilize fire. Article 23 of the Fire Prevention Ordinance (Example) issued by the FDMA stipulates that“smoking,” “open flames,” and “bringing in hazardous materials” are restricted in places designated by the fire
chief (fire station chief), among those places where an unspecified number of people may enter and exit andthere is risk to human life in the event of fire, and buildings such as important cultural properties, which are
irreplaceable assets for the public.

2. Status of Hazardous Material Facilities

The status of hazardous materials facilities is as follows.

Trend in the Number of Hazardous Materials Facilities(from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)Year

Institution
Manufacturing Facility
Indoor Storage

Storage
Facility

2019

2020

2021

2022

5,093

5,098

5,077

5,045

5,051

49,811

49,71749,61349,59049,50257,525

Outdoor Storage Tank

60,36059,69959,03558,225

10,386

10,170

9,988

9,837

9,687

Underground Storage Tank

79,723

77,98876,42574,93873,554

Simple Storage Tank

961

940

933

908

893

Mobile Storage Tank

65,80665,425

65,12464,96564,679Subtotal

9,832

9,702

9,604

9,611

9,493

276,879

273,641

270,722

268,074

265,333
56,807Gasoline Service Station

59,71558,865

58,12457,497

Class-One Sales Office

1,107

1,078

1,050

1,028

999

Class-Two Sales Office

493

482

474

469

462

Transfer Station

1,084

1,077

1,062

1,048

1,035

General Handling

60,86760,39859,94859,45858,889Subtotal
Total(Notes)2018

Indoor Storage Tank

Outdoor Storage

Handling
Facility(As of March 31 Each Year)

123,266

121,900

120,658

119,500

118,192

405,238

400,639

396,457

392,619

388,576

Prepared based on the “Hazardous Materials Regulatory Affairs Investigation”* Furnaces, bathtubs, cooking equipment, boilers, sauna equipment, electrical transformer equipment, storage battery
equipment, etc.

31Additionally, as with fire prevention properties, based on Article 16-5 of the Fire Service Act, in order toprevent fires caused by the storage and handling of hazardous materials, the mayor of a municipality, etc. mayorder the submission of materials and request reports from all relevant personnel at all locations where hazardous
materials in excess of the designated quantity are considered to be stored or handled. Furthermore, fire officials
are allowed to enter these locations to inspect, question, and take away hazardous materials or other materials
suspected of being hazardous materials. If, as a result of the on-site inspection, it is found that the Fire Service
Act is being violated, the mayor of the municipality will issue a compliance order to the owner of the hazardous
materials facility regarding storage or handling.
From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, a total of 156,713 on-site inspections were conducted at 144,116
hazardous material facilities.
The status of recent order issuance concerning hazardous material facilities is as follows.
Trend in the Number of Orders Concerning Hazardous material facilities(from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)(Notes)

Prepared based on the “Hazardous Materials Regulatory Affairs Investigation”

32Chap. 6

Fire Investigation

The Fire Service Act stipulates that the fire chief or fire station chief is responsible for investigating the causeof fire and fire damage. When a fire breaks out, the fire chief or fire station chief is to start an investigation at
the same time as firefighting activities, and may question the parties concerned and request that the necessary
matters be reported to the relevant public agencies. Additionally, in order to investigate the cause of the fire andfire damage, they may investigate property damaged or destroyed by the fire, order the submission of necessary
materials, request reports, and conduct on-site inspections through firefighters.

Fire Investigation (courtesy of Tokyo Fire Department)• Fire Service Act Article 31 (Investigation of the cause of a fire)• Fire Service Act Article 32 (Questioning of relevant individuals and requests for reporting to
public authorities)
Relevant Laws
• Fire Service Act Article 33 (Inspection of property damaged by fire)• Fire Service Act Article 34 (Orders to submit materials, collection of reports, and on-site
inspections by firefighters)

The Fire Service Act states that the primary responsibility and authority for investigating the cause of a fire
rests with the fire chief or fire station chief, even if the cause of the fire is suspected to be arson or negligence.
In cases where the cause of fire is recognized as arson or negligence, there may be a conflict between the fire
department’s and the police’s authority to investigate the fire. However, the Fire Service Act stipulates that insuch cases fire departments and the police are to cooperate, and in actual fire investigation sites, both agency’s
investigations are to be carried out in cooperation with each other.

33

On-site Investigation (courtesy of Chiba City Fire Bureau)

Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 35 (Investigation of the cause of fire and cooperation in criminal
investigations in cases of suspected arson or negligence)• Fire Service Act Article 35-2 (Questioning of suspects and examination of evidence)

Additionally, the Commissioner of the FDMA may conduct fire investigations of their own initiative if
requested to do so by the fire chief or if they deem it particularly necessary.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 35-3-2 (the Commissioner of the FDMA investigating the cause of a fire)

Aside from this, from the viewpoint of product safety measures, there is a need to effectively utilize information
related to product fires and the results of fire investigations, especially through information sharing with relatedorganizations.
The causes of fires investigated in this way are used to prevent the recurrence of similar fires through therevision of various standards, and are of great significance in fire prevention administration.

Forensics (courtesy of Chiba City Fire Bureau)

34Regarding spills of hazardous materials that occurred at a hazardous materials facility, the mayor of themunicipality may investigate the cause of said accident if there was a risk of a fire. In such cases, the mayor of themunicipality is authorized to order the owner to submit materials or to request a report, and to grant firefighters
the authority to enter, inspect, and question the owner. Additionally, as with the investigation of the cause of a fire,
the Commissioner of the FDMA may conduct an investigation on his own initiative if requested to do so by themayor of a municipality.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 16-3-2 (Investigation of the cause of accidents such as hazardous
material spills, etc.)

35

Chap. 7

Fire Engineers

1. Fire Prevention Managers

Fire prevention properties above a certain size are required to have a fire prevention manager who is
responsible for the fire safety of said property.
The main duties of a fire prevention manager are to prepare firefighting plans, conduct drills for firefighting,reporting, and evacuation, inspect and maintain fire protection equipment, supervise the use and handling of fire,
maintain and manage structures and facilities necessary for evacuation or fire prevention, manage the number ofpeople accommodated, and perform any other duties necessary for fire prevention management. A fire prevention
manager is a person with certain qualifications, such as completing a course on fire prevention, is in a position toproperly perform duties necessary for fire prevention in a fire prevention property, and who is appointed by the
management officials of said property.
When a fire prevention manager is appointed, they are required to notify the fire chief or fire station chief
immediately. In doing so, the fire department and the fire prevention manager cooperate with one another toenhance the effectiveness of fire prevention in the property.
The fire prevention manager is the person who plays a central role in ensuring fire safety in a fire prevention
property. Therefore, when a fire prevention manager has not been appointed, the fire chief or fire station chief
may order management officials to appoint a fire prevention manager. Additionally, they may also order the
implementation of appropriate fire prevention management when such management has not been appropriately
implemented.
Relevant Laws

• Related to the Fire Service Act Article 8

2. Disaster Prevention Managers

Large-scale and high-rise fire prevention properties above a certain size, such as buildings with a total floorarea of 50,000㎡ or more, are required to have a disaster prevention manager in charge of safety against disasters
other than fire (earthquakes, terrorist attacks, etc.) in said property.
The main duties of a disaster prevention manager are to prepare firefighting plans related to disaster prevention
management, conduct evacuation drills, and perform other duties necessary for disaster prevention management.
A disaster prevention manager is a person with certain qualifications, such as completing a course on disaster36

prevention, is in a position to properly perform duties necessary for disaster prevention in a fire prevention
property, and who is appointed by a management official of said property.
When a disaster prevention manager is appointed, they are required to notify the fire chief or fire station chief
immediately. In doing so, the firefighting agency and the disaster prevention manager cooperate with one anotherto enhance the effectiveness of disaster prevention in the property.
The disaster prevention manager is the person who plays a central role in the disaster prevention management
operations of the fire prevention property. Therefore, when a disaster prevention manager has not been appointed,
the fire chief or fire station chief may order management officials to appoint a disaster prevention manager.
Additionally, they may also order the implementation of appropriate disaster prevention management when suchmanagement has not been appropriately implemented.
Although fire prevention managers and disaster prevention managers are different qualifications based on
different systems, since they are very closely related to each other in individual fire prevention properties, it isstipulated that one person should obtain both qualifications and be appointed to both positions.
Relevant Laws

• The relevant portions of Fire Service Act Article 8 as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant toFire Service Act Article 36 Paragraph 1• Fire Service Act Article 36 Paragraph 2

3. Fire Protection Equipment Engineers

In order for fire protection equipment to operate properly in the event of a fire, proper installation based onstandards is first necessary. Therefore, in Japan, in principle, only individuals possessing certain qualifications areallowed to install and maintain fire protection equipment. These qualified individuals are called fire protection
equipment engineers.
There are two main types of fire protection equipment engineers: Class A fire protection equipment engineers,
who can perform all installation and maintenance, and Class B fire protection equipment engineers, who can only
perform maintenance and inspections.
Additionally, Class A is divided into Special Class, Class 1 through Class 5, and Class B is split into Special
Class, Class 1 through Class 7 according to the types of fire protection equipment that they are able to handle.
To qualify, one must pass an examination administered by the prefectural governor for each category andreceive a license. Fire protection equipment engineer who have been issued a license are required to take theequipment engineer training course within two years, and every five years thereafter.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 17-5

4. Fire Protection Equipment Inspectors

Parties relevant (owner, manager, or occupant) to a fire prevention property of certain structure and size are
required to inspect whether fire protection equipment installed in said property are properly working and whether
they will function effectively in the event of disaster, and to report to the fire chief or fire station chief.
In particular, for specified fire prevention properties with a total area of 1,000㎡ or more, such properties withtotal flooding carbon dioxide fire extinguishing systems installed, non-specified fire prevention properties witha total area of 1,000㎡ or more designated by a competent fire chief or fire station chief, and specified properties
with a single interior staircase (escape route), a qualified person (fire protection equipment engineer, fire
protection equipment inspector) is to conduct an inspection as required by laws and regulations. Inspections are
divided into equipment inspections and comprehensive inspections. Equipment inspections are to be conducted
once every six months, and comprehensive inspections are to be conducted once a year. The results are to bereported to the fire chief or fire station chief once a year in the case of specified fire prevention properties, andonce every three years in the case of non-specified properties. The inspection items, inspection methods, andcriteria for determining suitability are stipulated in the laws and regulations. The qualification to conduct these
inspections of fire protection equipment is the fire protection equipment inspector qualification, which is a37

national qualification stipulated by the Fire Service Act. In order to obtain this qualification, an individual mustcomplete a training course conducted by a training organization registered with the Commissioner of the FDMA,
and receive a license issued by said registered training organization. In order to take the course, a certain amountof work experience is needed. The license is valid for a certain period of time, but the license can be maintainedby taking a refresher course within five years that focuses on revisions to laws and regulations, new technologies,
and accident cases to receive a new license.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 17-3-3

5. Qualified Inspectors of Fire Prevention Properties

Management officials of fire prevention properties of a certain structure and size are required to have aqualified inspector of fire prevention properties check whether fire prevention management is being properly
implemented, and to report the results to the fire chief or fire station chief once a year.
The inspection items, inspection methods, and criteria for determining suitability are stipulated in the laws andregulations.
The qualification to conduct this inspection of fire prevention properties is the fire prevention properties
inspection qualification, which is a national qualification stipulated by the Fire Service Act. In order to obtain
this qualification, an individual must complete a training course conducted by a training organization registeredwith the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, and receive a license issued by said registered training
organization. In order to take the course, a certain amount of work experience is needed. The license is valid for acertain period of time, but the license can be maintained by taking a refresher course within five years that focuses
on revisions to laws and regulations, new technologies, and accident cases to receive a new license.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 8-2-2

6. Qualified Inspector for Disaster Prevention Management

Management officials of fire prevention properties of a certain structure and size are required to have aqualified inspector for disaster prevention management check whether disaster prevention management is being
properly implemented, and to report the results to the fire chief or fire station chief once a year. The targets for theinspection are to be accidents such as earthquakes and terrorist attacks.
The inspection items, inspection methods, and criteria for determining suitability are stipulated in the laws andregulations.
The qualification to conduct this inspection for disaster prevention management is the disaster prevention
management inspection qualification, which is a national qualification stipulated by the Fire Service Act in thesame fashion as the fire prevention properties inspection qualification.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 8-2-2 as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Fire Service Act Article
36 Paragraph 1

7. Chief Supervisor (in-house firefighting team)In order to direct employees working in a fire prevention property in the event of an actual fire or earthquake
and to mitigate damage, such properties above a certain size are required to have an individual qualified in selfdefense firefighting (such as an individual who has completed a course on self-defense firefighting services) as achief supervisor.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 8-2-5

38

8. Hazardous Materials Engineers

In order to handle hazardous materials in a hazardous materials facility, they must be handled by an individualwith certain qualifications or in the presence of such a qualified individual. These qualified individuals are calledhazardous material engineers.
Hazardous material engineers are broadly classified into three categories: Class A, Class B, and Class C.
Class A hazardous materials engineers are allowed to handle and supervise for all hazardous materials. Class
B hazardous material engineers may handle and supervise for hazardous materials in each of the categories
from Class 1 to Class 6. Class C hazardous material engineers may handle some designated Class 4 hazardous
materials, such as gasoline, but may not supervise to allow unqualified personnel to handle them. The ClassC certification is specifically institutionalized for employees of commercial gasoline stations and other suchbusinesses.
To be certified, a person must pass an examination administered by the prefectural governor for each category
and receive a license. Hazardous materials engineers who have been issued a license are obligated to take asafety course within three years, and every five years thereafter. However, if they are not actually engaged in thehandling of hazardous materials, they are not obligated to take the course.
Relevant Laws

• Fire Service Act Article 13, Fire Service Act Article 13-2

9. Qualified Preventive Technology Specialist

In recent years, fire prevention properties and hazardous material facilities have become more diversified,complex, and larger in scale, and fire regulations have become more specialized and sophisticated with theintroduction of performance-based standards for fire protection equipment and hazardous material facilities,
the promotion of handling violations, and the introduction of a periodic fire prevention property inspection andreporting system.
Due to this, firefighters are now required to have highly specialized knowledge and skills regarding fire
prevention.
For this reason, a qualification system for specialists in the field of fire prevention was established by theCommissioner of the FDMA, and the National Fire Service Code, which set forth the level of development ofpublic fire protection capacity that should be targeted, stipulated that personnel with this qualification should be
assigned to each fire department.
Fire service personnel who have completed a certain course of training, or who have received a certain levelof specialized education at a university, etc., and who have passed a qualification examination (Fire Preventive

39

Technology Examination) administered by the Commissioner of the FDMA, and who have acquired a certain
level of work experience as fire service personnel, are certified by the fire chief as fire prevention technicalspecialists. Fire prevention technical specialists are expected to contribute to ensuring the safety of fire prevention
properties and hazardous material facilities by acting as key personnel in charge of fire prevention administration.
Relevant Laws

• National Fire Service Code (FDMA Bulletin No. 1, Year 2000) Article 32, Paragraph 3

Types of qualified fire prevention specialists

40Reference data (Statistical)
Status of Municipal Fire Departments (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)(Each year as of April 1)
Comparison

Class

2021

Fire Departments
Breakdown
Fire Departments

SingleRatio Increase/
Decrease

724

723

△1

△ 0.1

385

384

△1

△ 0.3

Town/village

51

51

0

0.0

288

288

0

0.0

1,718

1,714

△4

△ 0.2

Municipal Administrative Association
Substations

3,099

3,095

△4

△ 0.1

167,073

167,510

437

0.3

5,885

6,148

263

4.5

Volunteer Fire Corps

2,198

2,196

△2

△ 0.1

Firefighting Squads

22,23722,152

△ 85

△ 0.4

Number of Volunteer Firefighters

804,877

783,578△ 21,299△ 2.6

27,317

27,603286

1.0

Number of Professional Firefighters
Of those, Number of Female Firefighters

Of those, Number of Female Volunteers(Notes)

2022

City

Branch stations

Volunteer Fire
Corps

Numerical
Increase/
Decrease

Prepared based on the “Survey on the Current Status of Fire and Disaster Prevention” and the “Report on Changes Related to Fire
Departments and Volunteer Fire Corps”

Trend in the Number of Firefighters (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)(Notes)1 Prepared based on the “Survey of the Current Status of Fire Prevention and Earthquake Countermeasures”
2 Due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the number of firefighters and volunteer firefighters in Iwate Prefecture,
Miyagi Prefecture, and Fukushima Prefecture in 2011 were tabulated using the numbers from the previous year (as of April 1, 2010).
3 Due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the numbers for Onagawa Town, Oshika District, Miyagi Prefecture in 2012were tabulated using the numbers from the previous year (as of April 1, 2010).

41

Number of Fire Protection Equipment Engineers (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)
By Type Special Class

By Class
Class A (Person)(Construction /Maintenance)

Special Fire
Protection
Equipment

Class B (Person)(Maintenance)(Notes)Class 1

Class 2

Class 3Inside Fire
Foam
Hydrant
Equipment Extinguishingand Sprinkler Systems
Systems

Class 4

Class 5

CarbonAutomated
DioxideFire Alarm
Extinguishing
Systems
Systems

Metal
Evacuation
Ladders

Class 6Class 7

ElectricFire
Leakage
Extinguishers Alarm
Systems

Total

4,568

152,158

48,42343,048313,088

39,386--600,671-

40,95912,85512,001

105,581

19,740

293,139

203,918

688,193

1 Prepared based on the “Hazardous Materials Handling Fire Protection Equipment Exam and Certificate Statistics Chart”
2 The number of equipment engineers is the accumulated number of licenses created.

Breakdown by Class of Participants in Hazardous Material Engineer Safety Courses and Hazardous Material Engineer
Licenses (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)
Class
FY
2017

NumberofParticipants

Class AClass B
Type 1

Type 2Type 3

Type 4

Type 5

Type 6

SubtotalClass C

Combined
Total

Numberof
Courses

170,287

14,21910,536

11,511

9,739 142,322

11,125

11,664 196,897

23,815234,931

1,460

2018

182,800

14,813

11,215

11,721

10,106 153,670

11,526

12,444 210,682

24,402249,897

1,452

2019

182,537

14,80911,53912,55810,358 155,943

12,07812,197 214,673

25,452

254,934

1,463

2020

170,774

13,740

10,667

11,7699,969 143,669

11,261

11,458 198,793

23,242

235,775

1,811

2021

187,837

15,572

11,961

13,188

11,256 159,195

13,081

13,217 221,898

25,423262,893

1,853(Note)

Prepared based on the “Hazardous Materials Regulatory Affairs Investigation”

Fire Trends (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)(Notes) 1 Prepared based on the “Fire Report”
2 The figures for each year are based on the fires that occurred between January and December of that year
3 See left axis for “number of fires” and “number of fatalities,” and right axis for “floor area of buildings destroyed” and “amount ofdamages.”42

Number of Residential Fires and Fatalities (excluding suicides by arson) (from the 2022 White Paper on Fire Service)(Notes)1 Prepared based on the “Fire Report”
2 See left axis for “Number of residential fires (excluding arson),” “Number of fatalities due to residential fires (excluding suicides
by arson),” and “Number of fatalities among the elderly due to residential fires (excluding suicides by arson),” and right axis for“Percentage of elderly persons above 65 years of age.”43