Overview of the 2023
White Paper on Fire Service

Materials created by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency weretranslated by the International Fire Service Information Center

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency(FDMA)

Contents
Special FeatureSpecial Feature 1:
Improvement of Fire and Disaster Prevention Systems Based on Recent Large Scale Disasters
Special Feature 2:
Countermeasures Against COVID-19 Infection and Responses to Heat Stroke
Special Feature 3:
Special Fire Prevention Security at the 49th G7 Summit in Hiroshima
Special Feature 4:
Enhancement and Strengthening of Regional Disaster Prevention Capabilities Centered Around
Volunteer Fire Corps
Special Feature 5:
Advancing Digitization in the Field of Fire and Disaster Prevention
Special Feature 6:
Advancement of People Protection Policies Based on the Recent Security Environment
Special Feature 7:
100 Years Since the Great Kanto Earthquake
Elementary Items

1

Special Feature 1
Improvement of Fire and Disaster Prevention Systems Based on Recent Large Scale Disasters*Damage information as of 11/15/2023

Damage caused by earthquakes in 2023 and the response of firefighting agencies● 2023 Noto Earthquake⁄ On May 5th, 2023 at 14:42, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred centered off the coast of the Noto Peninsula. It
registered at Shindo (Japanese seismic intensity) 6 in Suzu city of Ishikawa Prefecture.
⁄ Additionally, at 21:58 that same day, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake occured. It registered at Shindo 5 in Suzu city.
⁄ The Okunoto Fire Department in the disaster area engaged in rescue, first-aid, and other activities. Ishikawa prefecture fireand disaster prevention helicopters gathered information.
⁄ The volunteer fire corp in the disaster area carried out patrolling and vigilance, information gathering, and rubble removal
operations.
Affected Prefectures

Victims

Properties Damaged

Ishikawa and Toyama Prefectures

1 Dead, 48 Injured

3,397

Volunteer Fire Corp in Action (Provided by Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture)

Rescue Operation in Progress (Provided by the Okunoto Fire Department)

Damage caused by storms and floods in 2023 and the response of firefighting agencies① 2023 Seasonal rain-front heavy rains and Typhoon Mawar⁄ Fire departments in the disaster areas engaged in rescue, first aid, and otheractivities.
⁄ Volunteer fire corps in the disaster areas carried out patrolling and vigilance,
evacuation guidance, and drainage work using fire engines and other vehicles.
Main Areas Affected

Victims

Properties Damaged

Kanto, Koshin, Tokai, and Kinki
regions

6 Dead, 2 Missing,
49 Injured

10,276① Drainage Work in Progress by Volunteer Fire
② Heavy rains starting on June 29, 2023
Corps (Provided by Yoshikawa City, Saitama⁄ Mutual support between prefectural fire departments in Fukuoka, Saga, and Oita Prefecture)
prefectures.

⁄ Volunteer fire corps in the disaster areas carried out patrolling and vigilance,
evacuation guidance, rescue activities using boats, and disaster reconstruction
activities like clearing landslides.
Main Areas Affected

Victims

Properties Damaged

Hokuriku, Chugoku, and Kyushu
Regions(Special Heavy rain Warnings:
Fukuoka and Oita Prefectures)

13 Dead, 1 Missing,
16 Injured

8,020② Rescue Operation in Progress(Provided by the Kurume Fire Department)2

③ Heavy rains starting on July 17, 2023
⁄ Mutual support between prefectural fire departments in Akita prefecture.
⁄ Volunteer fire corps in the disaster areas carried out patrolling and vigilance,
evacuation guidance, support for rescue activities, performed drainage work using
small pumps, and disaster reconstruction activities like clearing landslides.
Main Areas Affected

Victims

Properties Damaged

Touhoku Region

1 Dead, 5 Injured

6,966④ 2023 Typhoon Lan③ Fire DepartThe Damage⁄ Tottori and Okayama prefecture fire and disaster prevention helicopters gathered (Provided by the Gojome Town Fire Department)
information.
⁄ Volunteer fire corps in the disaster areas carried out patrolling and vigilance,
evacuation guidance, drainage work using fire engines and other vehicles, anddisaster reconstruction work like clearing landslides.
Main Areas Affected

Victims

Properties Damaged

Tokai, Kinki, and Chugoku regions(Special Heavy rain Warnings:
Tottori Prefecture)

70 Injured929⑤ 2023 Typhoon Yun-yeung⁄ Fukushima and other prefecture fire and disaster prevention helicopters gathered
information.

④ Rescue Operation in Progress(Provided by the Ayabe City Fire Department)⁄ Volunteer fire corps in the disaster areas carried out patrolling and vigilance,
evacuation guidance, and disaster reconstruction work like drainage work using fireengines and other vehicles.
Main Areas Affected

Victims

Tohoku, Kanto, and Koshin Regions 3 Dead, 18 Injured

Properties Damaged
6,096⑤ Rescue Operation in Progress(Provided by the Fukushima Prefecture)

FDMA Efforts in the “5 Year Accelerated Plan for Disaster Prevention, Disaster Mitigation, and National
Land Resiliency”⁄ There are 8 policies being implemented in the 5 Year Accelerated Plan, such as the “Measures to enhance and strengthen
air fire and disaster prevention systems for large scale disasters” and the “Measures regarding volunteer fire corps which
form the core of regional disaster prevention capabilities.”

FDMA Helicopter
Vehicle equipped with small mounted powered pump and rescue equipment(Measures to enhance and strengthen air fire and disaster prevention systems (Measures regarding volunteer fire corps which form the core of regional
for large scale disasters)
disaster prevention capabilities)3

Special Feature 2
Countermeasures Against COVID-19 Infection and Responses to Heat Stroke
Changes to the status of covid-19 under the Infectious Disease Act and the FDMA’s response⁄ On May 8, 2023 COVID-19 was reclassified from a novel influenza infectious disease (equivalent to category 2) to acategory 5 infectious disease.
⁄ Therefore, when a 119 call is received from a patient with COVID-19, as ambulance services, firefighting agencies will
select and transport them to a medical institution as with other diseases.

Novel Influenza Infectious Disease (equivalent to category 2)

Category 5 Infectious Disease〇Firefighting agencies (ambulance teams) , as ambulance services, select and〇Prefectural (health care centre) duties based on the infectious disease act

transport patients to a medical institution.

・Transport of covid-19 patient to their medical institution

Selection ofa medical institution〇Depending on the situation in each prefecture, it will be possible to retain the・Coordinating covid-19 patient admission"admission coordination HQ" and other frameworks.
〇As of May 8, expenses relating to the purchase of infection-prevention equipment
and disposal of infectious waste by ambulance teams became covered by the〇The purchase of infection-prevention equipment for ambulance teams and the

Fiscal Measures"Emergency Comprehensive Support Grant for the Novel Coronavirus Disease. As acosts associated with the disposal of infectious waste were covered by the

result, the government subsidies listed on the left have been terminated, and thegovernment fund (subsidy) for infectious disease prevention projects (1/2

temporary grants are no longer applicable.

subsidy) and the Temporary Grant for Revitalization in Response to New〇 As of October 1, only the expenses relating to the purchase of infection-prevention

Coronavirus Infections (supplemental).

equipment for ambulance teams remain covered. (until the end of March 2024)

Response after reclassification of COVID-19 infections to category 5 (firefighting agencies)⁄ In response to diﬃcult ambulance transport cases, the FDMA has been surveying the number of such cases at 52 fire
departments nationwide since April, 2020, and is continuing to do so after the change to category 5.
⁄ The FDMA is requesting firefighting agencies share best practices regarding handling influxes of difficult-to-transport
cases, while also making use of prefectural coordinating committees based on the Infectious Disease Act, andcoordinating with firefighting agencies and medical institutions, and responding as necessary.

Apr.
FY2020

May

Jun.

Jul.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar. Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

difficult-to-transport cases

Feb.

FY2022suspected COVID-19 cases

May

Jun.

Jul.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Feb.

Mar. Apr.

May

Jun.

Sep.

wk.4

wk.2

wk.5

wk.3

wk.4

wk.3

Aug.

wk.5/wk.1

wk.2

Jul.

wk.6/wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.3

wk.5/wk.1

wk.3

wk.1

wk.5/wk.1

wk.3

wk.3

wk.1

Jan.

wk.5/wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.5

wk.3

wk.3

Sep.

wk.5/wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

Aug.

wk.5/wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.5

Mar. Apr.

wk.2

wk.3

wk.3

wk.1

wk.5/wk.1

wk.3

wk.4

wk.2

Jan.

FY2021

wk.6/wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.5

wk.3

wk.4

wk.3

Sep.

wk.5/wk.1

wk.2

Aug.

wk.5/wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.5

wk.3

wk.3

wk.3

wk.5/wk.1

wk.1

wk.5/wk.1

wk.3

wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.5

wk.3

wk.4

wk.3

Sep.

wk.5/wk.1

wk.2

Aug.

wk.6/wk.1

wk.4

wk.2

wk.4

wk.2

wk.5

wk.3

wk.3

wk.1

wk.5/wk.1(cases)Oct.

FY2023

FY2020（pre-covid19 crisis）Same Period Comparison(%)

Survey results regarding diﬃcult ambulance transport cases from each firefighting agency (weekly comparison)*1: In this survey, “difficult-to-transport cases” are those reported by firefighting agencies to the FDMA of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as cases in which
the ambulance team members “made four or more referrals to medical institutions” and “stayed at the scene for 30 minutes or more. Of these cases, none were not able to betransported to a medical institution.
*2: Surveyed headquarters = 52 in total: fire departments of government ordinance-designated cities, Tokyo Fire Department, and representative fire departments of each prefecture.
*3: A suspected COVID-19 case is a case involving an injured or sick person with symptoms (fever of 98.6°F/38°C or higher, diﬃculty breathing, etc.) of a suspected COVID-19 infection(including cases involving patients who, due to the shift to Category 5, were not referred to a medical institution by a health care facility, but were referred by a fire department.)*4: Share the situation with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and prefectures, etc. to ensure the acceptance system of medical institutions.
*5: These figures are preliminary.
*6: This survey does not include those that were referred to medical institutions by health care centers.

4

Response to Heat Stroke⁄ The FDMA has been surveying the number of people transported by ambulance due to heat stroke from fire departments
nationwide since 2008.
⁄ 91,467 people were transported by ambulance due to heatstroke between May and September of 2023. This is thesecond highest number of people transported since 2015, when the survey period became May through September.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014
May

2008

2009

2010

May
June

2011

2012

2015

June

2013

2,276

6,980

1,837

4,265

2017

2018

2019

AugustSeptember

2014

2015

2016

2017

2,904

2,788

3,401

3,032

3,558

3,481

NA
NA

2016

July

4,634

2021

2022

2023

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2,427

4,448

NA

1,626

2,668

3,655

5,269

4,151

6,336

4,945

15,969

7,235

2020

2023

July

12,747

5,294

17,75017,96321,082

23,69918,407

24,567

18,671

26,70254,22016,431

8,388

21,372

27,20936,549

Aug.

8,857

6,495

28,44817,566

18,573

27,632

15,18323,925

21,383

17,30230,41036,75543,06017,57920,252

34,835

Sept.

1,467

1,182

7,645

3,960

4,209

3,133

1,824

1,424

4,012

2,098

2,811

9,532

7,085

2,355

4,931

9,193

Total

23,071

12,971

56,11946,46945,70158,72940,04855,85250,412

52,984

95,13771,31764,86947,87771,02991,467

Trend in the amount of people transported by ambulance due to heat stroke from 2008-2023⁄ The FDMA, in addition to promoting their use among related bodies, provides various forms of content regarding heatstroke prevention such as informational posters on the heat stroke informational page on the FDMA website, and also
posts information about heat stroke on X (formerly twitter).

Prevention informational video

Heat stroke prevention informational poster5Special Feature 3
Special Fire Prevention Security at the 49th G7 Summit in Hiroshima⁄ The 49th G7 Summit in Hiroshima was held from May 19-21, 2023, mainly at the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima. As thefire department, the FDMA took various measures to ensure fire prevention in related facilities as well as an immediate
response system in the event of various kinds of disaster, including terrorist attack.
⁄ The “G7 Hiroshima Summit Fire and Emergency Countermeasure Committee” consisting of the FDMA, Hiroshima
prefecture, related fire departments, and the Fire Chiefs Association of Japan, was established to prepare a study system
for the summit. During the 7-day alert period between May 16th and May 22nd, Hiroshima Prefecture, 13 fire departments
in Hiroshima Prefecture, and 20 fire departments in other prefectures established a fire and emergency prevention security
structure with 179 vehicles, 6 fire and disaster prevention helicopters, 4 fire boats, 8 prevention-related vehicles, and 1,777
firefighters and other personnel.
⁄ The FDMA established a general security headquarters with the Hiroshima city fire services bureaudepartment chief as thehead, as well as the FDMA security headquarters in the Hiroshima city fire department with the FDMA fire and ambulanceservice division chief as the head. In addition to operating and coordinating alert units and conducting on-site inspectionsof related facilities, the FDMA ensured a complete system by deploying units to respond to nuclear, biological, and chemicaldisasters, conducting air alerts using fire and disaster prevention helicopters, and conducting maritime alerts using fire boats.

General Security Headquarters

On-site Inspection of Related Facilities

Hiroshima Airport On-site Headquarters

NBC Disaster Response Drill

Air Alerts Provided by Fire and Disaster Prevention Helicopters

Maritime Alerts Provided by Fire Boats

6

Special Feature 4
Enhancement and Strengthening of Regional Disaster Prevention Capabilities Centered Around
Volunteer Fire Corps
Current State of Volunteer Fire Corps⁄ The number of volunteer firefighters has decreased year by year. As of April 1, 2023, compared to the previous year, thenumber decreased by 20,908 to 762,670, and for two consecutive years since 2022, the number has decreased by morethan 20,000 compared to the previous year.
⁄ In recent years, the number of retirees has remained at a high level. The number of new recruits is on a declining trend,
though it recovered slightly according to the 2023 survey, increasing for the first time in 8 years.
⁄ On the other hand, there is an increasing trend in female volunteer firefighters (1.3% compared to the previous year),
student volunteer firefighters (15.0% compared to the previous year), and function-specific members (8.0% increase
compared to the previous year).
1. Trend in Number of Volunteer Firefighters

2. Trend in the Number of Female Volunteer Firefighters

No. of Volunteer Firefighters (x10k)
Fell below 2,000,000 in 1955

(Percentage of Volunteer Fire
Corps with Female Members)(No. of Female Volunteer Firefighters)

Fell below 1,000,000 in 1990
(Relative to the previous year2013

1954 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

(FY)

3. Trend in Number of Student Volunteer Firefighters(No. of Municipalities Entered into the Certification
System for Student Volunteer Corps Activities)

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023(FY)No. of Volunteer Fire Corps with
Female Members

4. Trend in the Number of Function-Specific Members(No. of Student Volunteer Firefighters)(No. of Municipalities Entered into the
Function-Specific Member System)2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 (FY)No. of Student
Volunteer Firefighters

2014 2015 2016 2017
No. of Female Volunteer
Firefighters

No. of Municipalities Entered into the Certification
System for Student Volunteer Corps Activities(No. of Function-Specific Members)

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 (FY)No. of FunctionNo. of Municipalities Entered into theSpecific Members
Function-Specific Member System

Efforts to Enhance and Strengthen Volunteer Fire Corps⁄ Implementing the following in order to further promote the enlistment of a wide variety of citizens, starting with women andyoung people.
- The creation of posters, PR videos, etc. featuring widely known personalities such as Koji Imada and Yuriyan Retriever- The dissemination of information through SNS platforms which young people interact with frequently- The promotion of the ”Certification System for Student Volunteer Fire Corps Activities” which certifies the achievements ofstudents who have served as volunteer firefighters⁄ Additionally, through the “model project for theenhancement of volunteer fire corps,” the FDMA is
supporting innovative efforts of local public entities toenhance and strengthen volunteer fire corps startingwith securing female, student, and function specificmembers through publicity for women and young
people and promoting joining volunteer fire corps incooperation with businesses and universities.

Volunteer Fire Corps Recruitment Posters

7

Special Feature 5
Promotion of Digital Transformation in the field of fire and disaster prevention
Increasing the Speed and Smoothness of Ambulance Services Using the My Number Card

⁄ With the participation of a large number of fire departments, The FDMA is working to establish a system that allows
ambulance teams to access a patient’s medical history, medications, and treatments at the site of an emergency by using
their My Number Card when selecting a medical institution to transport them to.

Illustration of the service

Standardization of the Firefighting Command System / Cloudification of the Firefighting Operation System⁄ Taking advantage of the peak of system upgrades at each fire department taking place from FY 2024 to FY 2026, theinterfaces of firefighting command systems are being standardized and firefighting operation systems are being shifted tothe cloud in order to facilitate coordination between fire departments and with external systems.
Standardized data

the Internet

Cloudification

Connected to the internet
firefighting command
systems

firefighting operation
systems

firefighting command
systems

firefighting
operationsystems

standard interface

Firefighting system connected to the internet with data linkage andeasy addition of functionality

Independent firefighting system not connected to the internet

Deployment of drones to volunteer fire corps / implementation of training⁄ The project promotes the deployment of drones involunteer fire corps and the acquisition of drone operatingskills in order to improve the information-gathering
capabilities of said community based volunteer fire corps
and to enable them to quickly and safely assess thesituation at the scene of a disaster.

Disaster Response Training Using a Drone

8

Special Feature 6
Advancement of People Protection Policies Based on the Recent Security Environment
Progress on People Protection Policies Based on the Security Environment and Other Factors⁄ With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, North Korea launching ballistic missiles, and more, the security environment has
become increasingly severe.
⁄ Municipal mayors are required to prepare multiple patterns in order to smoothly establish evacuation procedures forresidents in the event of a people protection incident. The FDMA is also conducting training nationwide and working
towards improving the effectiveness of evacuations in isolated islands and the municipalities around nuclear power
facilities.
⁄ Additionally, the FDMA is encouraging local public entities and facility managers to designate emergency shelters in orderto reduce dameges from missile strikes, and is promoting such designations nationwide.
⁄ Furthermore, the FDMA, in cooperation with the Cabinet Secretariat, is further promoting nationwide efforts for joint
training between the national government and local public entities on people protection measures.

Nation Focused
Training
Joint People Protection Training
Joint training between the national( government
and local public entities )Regional Block Training Session
Actual/Map Training
Map Training

Prefecture-led
Training
People Protection
Training

ActualTraining
Map Training
Actual/Map Training
Resident Ballistic Missile Evacuation Training
Map Training
Actual Training

Independent People Protection Training(Training carried out by local public entities)

Actual/Map Training
Resident Ballistic Missile Evacuation Training
People Protection Training Categories

The FDMA’s Response to Recent Trends in North Korean Missile Launches⁄ In April, May, August, and November of 2023, when North Korean ballistic missiles with the possibility of landing in or
passing over Japanese soil or territorial waters were launched, evacuation warnings were broadcast to the people via
J-Alert.
⁄ In order to ensure reliable transmission of information through J-Alert, the FDMA conducts nationwide simultaneous
information transmission tests to local public entities, confirms equipment settings, and more.

J-Alert Information Transmission During a Ballistic Missile Launch

9Special Feature 7
100 Years Since the Great Kanto Earthquake
Overview of the Great Kanto Earthquake

Damages⁄ The Great Kanto earthquake occurred on September
1, 1923, at 11:58 and left approximately 105,000
people dead or missing, while the number of properties
damaged from fire and complete or partial collapse
reached approximately 370,000.

105,385 people（Of which, deaths due tofire 91,781 people）

Dead and Missing⁄ It occurred at lunchtime and there were strong winds due
to a typhoon, so many fires broke out, and the majority ofcasualties were due to fires.

Property
DamageThe FDMA’s Efforts

Fully Demolished

109,713 properties(Of which, not burnt
79,733)

Partially
Demolished102,733 properties(Of which, not burnt
79,272)

Burnt
212,353 properties⁄ 2023 marks 100 years since the Great Kanto Earthquake
Washed Away
occurred, thus, utilizing the experience from that
1,301 properties
Buriedearthquake and using the catchphrase “100 years since
the Great Kanto Earthquake. Let’s learn disaster prevention. Let’s save lives,” the FDMA is taking the following steps inorder to raise the disaster prevention awareness of each and every citizen and make the importance of earthquake and fire
safety common knowledge in order to be prepared for any coming disasters.

▶ Creating a special page about the Great Kanto Earthquake on the FDMA website. This page contains and overview
of the earthquake, preparations that can be made for earthquakes and the fires that result from them, information
regarding voluntary disaster prevention groups, and experimental footage of firestorms▶ Creating poster tie-ins with the anime “Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M” that teaches about the 100 years since
the Great Kanto Earthquake▶ Conducting publicity efforts that utilize various forms of public relations media such as the FDMA’s PR magazineetc.
消防署からのお知らせです

地震火災を防ぐポイント
地震火災対策きちんと出来ていますか？
事前の対策
住まいの耐震性を確保しましょう

家具等の転倒防止対策（固定）を行いましょう感震ブレーカーを設置しましょう

ストーブ等の暖房機器の周辺は整理整頓し、可燃物を近くに置かないようにしましょう

分電盤タイプ
簡易タイプ

コンセント
タイプ

住宅用消火器等を設置し使用方法について確認しましょう

住宅用火災警報器を設置しましょう
連動型住宅用火災警報器

FDMA Disaster Prevention Manual –Educational Materials on Earthquake Disaster Safety–(From the Special Web Page about the Great Kanto Earthquake)10※交換の際は連動型住宅用火災警報器などの付加的な機能を併せ持つ機器へ交換しましょう。
※設置場所については市町村条例で定められています。

“Important Steps to Prevent Earthquake Fires” Leaflet
Outlining Earthquake and Fire Safety(From the Special Web Page about the Great Kanto
Earthquake)Elementary Items

11

Fire Prevention -Number of Fire Incidents/Number of Fatalities from Fires⁄ There is a general downward trend in the number of fire incidents and the number of fatalities from fires over the past 10
years.
⁄ The number of fires in 2022 was 36,314 (increased by 1,092 from the previous year), 82.2% of that of 10 years ago.
⁄ The number of fatalities from fires was 1,452 (35 more than last year), 84.4% of 10 years ago.
[Trends in the number of fire incidents and the number of fatalities from fires]

Number of fire outbreaks
Number of fatalities from fires

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Notes: 1. Prepared based on “Fire Report”
2. See the left axis for the “Number of fire outbreaks” and the right axis for the “Number of fatalities from fire”

Fire Prevention -Number of Residential Fire Incidents/Number of Fatalities, Residential Fire
Alarm Installation Status⁄ The majority of deaths from fire occur in house fires.
⁄ The number of residential fire incidents in 2022 was 10,783 (540 more than the previous year), and the number of fatalities
was 972 (6 more than the previous year).
⁄ The ratio of homes with residential fire alarms installed is increasing every year. As of June 1, 2023 the rate nationwide
was 84.3%, and the rate of compliance with regulations 67.2%.
(x10 cases)[Trends in the number of residential fire incidents (excluding arson) ,the number of fatalities(excluding suicides by arson, etc.) ,and Residential Fire Alarm Installation Status](peoples)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

No. of residential fire

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

No. of Number of Fatalities due toresidential Fires (People)

2013

2014

2015

Installation Ratio

2016

2017

2018

2019

Ordinance
Compliance Ratio

2020

2021

2022

2023
(year)

Notes: 1. Prepared based on “Fire Report” and “the Survey Result Residential Fire Alarm Installation Status“
2. The installation rate: The share of households that have installed residential fire alarms in at least one location of the sections of their home in which they are obligated to do soby municipal fire prevention ordinances (including households that are exempt from installing residential fire alarms on account of having installed fire alarm systems, etc.) outof the total number of households.
3. The ordinance compliance rate: The share of households that have installed residential fire alarms in every section of their home in which they are obligated to do so bymunicipal fire prevention ordinances (including households that are exempt from installing residential fire alarms on account of having installed fire alarm systems, etc.) out of
the total number of households.
4. The number of residential fires and the fatalities in residential fires in 2023 are not yet determined.

12

Ambulance System -Status of Ambulance Service Operations⁄ The number of ambulance service dispatch cases in 2022 was 7,230,000 (approx. 1,040,000 more than the previous year).
⁄ As of April 1, 2023, there were 5,359 ambulance teams, (31 more compared to the previous year) a 7.1% increase
compared to 10 years ago.
⁄ In 2022 the average time required to reach the scene was approximately 10.3 minutes (an increase of approximately 2
minutes compared to 10 years prior).
⁄ In 2022 the average time before hospital admittance was 47.2 minutes (an increase of approximately 8.5 minutes
compared to 10 years prior).
(10k cases)[Trends in the number of ambulancedispatch cases and the number of
ambulance service teams][Trends in the time required to reach the scene
and the time before hospital admittance](squads)(mins.)

Number of ambulance dispatch cases
Number of ambulance service teams
established (as of April 1 each year)
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

(mins.)

Time to reach the scene
Time to admittance2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 (year)(year)

Notes: 1. Prepared based on “Fire Report”
2. The graph on the left refers to the left column regarding the number of ambulance dispatch cases, and to the column on the right regarding the number of establishedambulance teams (as of April 1st of each year)
3. The graph on the right refers to the left column regarding the time required to reach the scene, and to the column on the right regarding time before hospital admittance

Firefighting System -Fire Defense Organization⁄ Fire departments (as of April 1, 2023)- There are 722 fire departments, with 1,714 fire stations. There are 167,861 firefighters (an increase of 351 compared to theprevious year).
⁄ Volunteer fire corps (as of April 1, 2023)- There are 2,177 volunteer fire corps, with 762,670 volunteer firefighters (a decrease of 20,908 compared to the previous year).
- Volunteer fire corps are the non-standing firefighting agencies in the municipalities. They are in every municipality.
[Trends in the number of firefighters and volunteer fire corps members](As of April 1 each year)

Number of firefighters
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

(year)

Number of volunteer firefighters

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

(year)

Notes: 1. Number of firefighters created using the “Survey on the Current State of Fire and Disaster Prevention and Earthquake Countermeasures”
2. Number of volunteer firefighters created using the “Survey on the Current State of Fire and Disaster Prevention and Earthquake Countermeasures” and the “Survery Regarding
the Organization of Volunteer Fire Corps”the total number of households.

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Structure of the Firefighting White Paper
Special FeatureSpecial Feature 1 Improvement of Fire and Disaster Prevention Systems Based on Recent Large
Scale Disasters
Special Feature 2 Countermeasures Against COVID-19 Infection and Responses to Heat Stroke
Special Feature 3 Special Fire Prevention Security at the 49th G7 Summit in Hiroshima
Special Feature 4 Enhancement and Strengthening of Regional Disaster Prevention Capabilities 		Centered Around Volunteer Fire Corps
Special Feature 5 Advancing Digitization in the Field of Fire and Disaster Prevention
Special Feature 6 Advancement of People Protection Policies Based on the Recent Security 		Environment
Special Feature 7 100 Years Since the Great Kanto Earthquake
Topics
1. Increase in the Retirement Age of Firefighters
2. Efforts to Promote Women in Firefighting
3. Promotion of the Emergency Relief Center (#7119)
4. Public Relations for the Fire and Disaster Prevention Administration
5. Dispatch of International Fire and Rescue Teams to the Earthquake Disaster In the Republic 		
of Turkey
6. International Cooperation and Exchange
7. Response to Special Fires
Elementary Items• Number of Fire Incidents/Number of Fatalities Due to Fires• Number of Fire Incidents by Main Cause• Number of House Fire Incidents/Number of Fatalities, Residential Fire Alarm Installation Status• Status of Ambulance Service Operations• Number of Rescue Activities by Accident Type• Number of People Rescued by Accident Type• Fire Defense Organization• Trends in the Number and Ratio of Female Firefighters<Web Version>
Section 1

Current Disaster Status and Challenges

Section 2

Fire and Disaster Prevention Organization and Activities

Section 3

Measures Towards People Protection

Section 4

Voluntary Fire and Disaster Activities and Creating Regional Disaster Resiliency

Section 5

Responses to International Issues

Section 6

Research and Development of Fire and Disaster Prevention Science and 					 Technology
Materials
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