Disaster Prevention Systems
Municipal Disaster Prevention Systems andActivities at the Time of the Great East Japan
Earthquake

Table of Contents
I. Municipal Disaster Prevention System
1. Position in Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act..........1
2. Division of Roles Under the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act..........2
3. Municipal Organizations and Roles...........3
4. Overview of Municipal Fire Fighting Organizations Etc.
.......... 4
5. Voluntary Fire Prevention Organizations...........7
6. Fire Fighting Support Over a Wide Area and Emergency Response Teams...........9
II. Activities During the Great East Japan Earthquake
1. Natural Disasters in Japan..........11
2. Damage and Fire Fighting Activities During the Great East Japan Earthquake...........13
3. Damage Data...........16

I-1

Position in Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act•••

To protect national land as well as the life, body and property of citizens from disasters
such as earthquakes, wind and flood damage, under the Disaster Countermeasure Basic
Act, a central disaster prevention council is to be established nationally, and local disasterprevention councils are to be established in prefectures and municipalities. The purposeof these councils is to promote the creation and smooth implementation of disaster plansin order to effectively and appropriately deal with disasters, emergencies, and recovery.
The central disaster prevention council is in charge of creating a basic disaster prevention
plan, while the local disaster prevention councils are in charge of creating local disasterprevention plans.
If there is a need for emergency measures in the event of a disaster, disastercountermeasures are to be supported by establishing a major disaster countermeasures
headquarters on a national level if a major disaster occurs, and an emergency disastercountermeasures headquarters if an remarkably unusual and catastrophic disaster occurs,
while prefectures and municipalities are to establish disaster countermeasures
headquarters in order to promote disaster countermeasures.
If a disaster actually occurs, prefectures and municipalities are to implement thenecessary emergency measures to protect the lives, bodies and property of citizens, aswell as to ensure the safety of the area. In particular, as the fundamental local publicbody, municipalities are to establish evacuation orders and hazard areas, and to takemeasures for dispatching teams for fire and flood prevention.
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I-2

Division of Roles Under the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act•

In Japan, municipalities are unambiguously in charge of disaster prevention duties (Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act), while prefectures and the state are positioned as backup
and support organizations. At the national level, disaster prevention is headed by the Cabinet Office, and the ministries and agencies involved are wide ranging, and include: the
National Police Agency; the Fire and Disaster Management Agency; the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism; the Geographical Survey Institute; theMeteorological Agency; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology; the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; and the Ministry of Defense.

Central government

Prefectures

Municipalities

Performs tasks such as
creating and generally
coordinating disasterprevention plans, establishingdisaster prevention
infrastructure such as dams
and seawalls, andcommunicating disasterpredictions and information.

Performs tasks such as creating andgenerally coordinating disaster prevention
plans, requesting the implementation of
emergency measures to the relevant
ministries and agencies, and supporting andcoordinating the implementation ofmunicipal duties and affairs.

Performs tasks such as establishing a disasterprevention plan and preparing emergency
supplies to protect residents, and organizing
and maintaining fire services and flood
prevention teams.
 Grants municipal mayors the authority toestablish evacuation instructions and hazard
areas, and to provide funds for public
emergencies, etc. [Municipalities have theprimary obligation to deal with disasters.]○ Inspect, maintain and stockpile
materials and supplies necessary fordisaster prevention○ Improve the maintenance oforganizations for communicating disasterpredictions and information○ Collect and communicate disasterrelated information○ Inspect, maintain and stockpile materials and supplies
necessary for disaster prevention○ Improve the maintenance of organizations forcommunicating disaster predictions and information○ Collect and communicate disaster-related information○ Submit reports to the central government summarizing thedisaster situation and measures taken in response○ Communicate disaster-related forecasts and warnings to
the central government○ Mayor provides coordinates efforts so that emergency
measures are implemented accurately and smoothly○ Request the implementation of emergency measures to therelevant organizations (ministries and agencies etc.)○ Perform emergency measures in the event that amunicipality is unable to do so○ Obligated to respond to requests for emergency measuresfrom other prefectural governors○ Inspect, maintain and stockpile materials and supplies
necessary for disaster prevention○ Improve the maintenance of organizations forcommunicating disaster predictions and information○ Collect and communicate disaster-related information○ Submit reports to the prefecture summarizing the disastersituation and measures taken in response○ Communicate disaster-related forecasts and warnings tocitizens○ Prepare and order the dispatch of teams to fight fires andprevent floods○ Implement necessary emergency measures to defend
against the occurrence and spread of a disaster○ Obligated to respond to requests for emergency measuresfrom other municipal mayors

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I-3

Municipality Organizations and Roles• Municipalities have the primary obligation to deal with disasters, and should
provide fire fighting organizations to perform appropriate duties.
• Full-time fire fighting organizations• Full-time fire fighting organizations are fire department headquarters and firestations established by municipalities where full-time staff are employed.
• Part-time fire fighting organizations (fire brigades)• Fire brigades are part-time fire fighting organizations in municipalities where
members participate in fire fighting and disaster activities in addition to having
regular jobs based on a spirit of local patriotism in which one protects one's own
area.
• Voluntary Disaster Prevention Organizations• Voluntary disaster prevention organizations are organized based on the
conscious cooperation of local residents. Under ordinary circumstances, theseorganizations disseminate disaster prevention knowledge and implement
disaster prevention training. During a disaster, they perform tasks such ascollecting information, preventing fires and extinguishing fires in the early stages,
3and conducting evacuations.

I–4

Overview of Municipal Fire Fighting Organizations Etc.

Current as of April 1, 2011
Full-time fire fighting organizations:Fire fightingorganizations

About 159,000 members

Activities under thejurisdiction of fire chiefs in the
districts of all regions
Fire brigades:(Data for Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima
prefectures were compiled according to thefigures from the previous year (as of April 1,
2010) due to the impact of the Great East
Japan Earthquake.)

Including about 20,000
females

about 880,000 members

Voluntary disaster prevention organizations:

Voluntarily respond todisasters in own region

about 37.98 million people

4

I–4

Current Situation Regarding Fire Brigades

 Characteristics of fire brigades○ Two types under Article 9 of the Fire Organization Act: Full-time fire fighting organizations and fire brigades (part-time fire fighting organizations)○ Fundamentally volunteers (local specially-appointed, part-time government employees)○ Core presence for local fire and disaster prevention (personnel are mobilized as necessary, stay in the local area, and are able to respond immediately) Targets Current situation (as of April 1, 2011) At least one million fire brigade members nationwide
 Number of fire brigade members has dropped to about 880,000 members
 Including at least 100,000 female fire brigade members  Ratio of employed fire brigade members is 71.0%

Number of fire brigade members

Number of female fire brigade members

Number of fire brigade members

Number of female fire brigade members

Note: The above figures are current as of April 1, 2011(data for Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures were compiled according to the figures from the previous year (as of April 1, 2010) due tothe impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake.)

5

I–4

Changes Over Time in Number of Fire Brigade Members and Ratio of Employed Members
Current situation and issues regarding fire brigades

 Number of fire brigade members has dropped to about 880,000
 Ratio of fire employed brigade members is 71.0%(as of April 1, 2011)
Number of fire brigade members

Percentage of employed members

Percentage of employed members

Number of fire brigade members

Note: The above figures are current as of April 1, 2011 (Data for Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures were compiled according to figures from theprevious year (as of April 1, 2010) due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake.)

6

I-5

Voluntary Disaster Prevention Organizations•

Organizations voluntarily formed by local residents who carry out disaster prevention activities based ona desire to protect their local area.
– Defined in the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act as "voluntary disaster prevention organizations based on the spirit of helping neighbors".

••

Mainly established and operated at the neighborhood/resident association level, and composed ofresidents living in the area (as of April 1, 2011, there were 146,369 organizations and about 37.98 million
members).
These organizations are extremely important for providing self-help and mutual assistance when
government organizations are struggling with rescue operations during a large-scale disaster.

Main activities
Voluntary disasterprevention organizations
Implement training under ordinary
circumstances
Take action during a disaster

Selfhelp

Regional disasterprevention force
Minimize damage
during a disasterMutualassistance

Disaster prevention storehouseand materials

Under ordinary circumstances:• Disseminate disaster prevention knowledge• Ascertain locations in the area that will be dangerous ina disaster• Carry out disaster prevention training• Inspect equipment at facilities that use fire
• Store, organize and inspect disaster prevention
equipment
During a disaster:• Gather disaster-related information, and rapidly convey
it to residents• Prevent fires and initiate fire fighting• Conduct evacuations• Rescue and provide first-aid to disaster victims• Supply food and water

Government
assistance

 To encourage voluntary disaster prevention organizations, aid is provided to municipalities to buy disaster prevention
equipment and to cover operating costs, and the organizations are supplied with fire prevention equipment.

Improves regional disasterprevention force

 The Fire and Disaster Management Agency prepares and distributes guidelines (guidance) to facilitate activities by thevoluntary disaster prevention organizations, and delivers seminars etc. to encourage activity by the organizations.

Disaster prevention training

7

Note: Data from Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures were compiled according to figures from the previous year (as of April
1, 2010) due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

I-5
Changes Over Time in Voluntary Disaster Prevention Organizations

Number of voluntary disasterprevention organizations

Percentage ofactivities covered byvoluntary disaster

Percentage of activities covered byvoluntary disaster prevention organizations
prevention organizations(Current as of April 1, 2011)
Note 1: The percentage of activities covered by voluntary disaster prevention organizations is the number of households involved in voluntary disaster prevention activities as a percentage ofthe total number of households.
Note 2: Data for Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures were compiled according to figures from the previous year (as of April 1, 2010) due to the impact of the Great East Japan
Earthquake.

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I-6

Fire Fighting Support Over a Wide Area andEmergency Response Teams••

Mutual Fire Fighting Support Agreements
Since municipalities are obligated to make an effort to provide mutual support for firefighting if required, signing agreements on mutual support for fire fighting enables
fire fighting forces to operate over a wider area beyond a municipality or prefecturesin order to be able to respond appropriately to large-scales disasters and special
disasters.

••

Emergency response teams
Based on lessons learnt from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, emergency
response teams were established to build a rescue system involving the mutual
support of fire fighting organizations nationwide so that survivor rescue operations
etc. can be implemented more efficiently and rapidly when a large-scale disaster suchas an earthquake occurs in Japan.
In the event of a large-scale disaster in Japan, this is a system in which fire brigades
are requested to converge on a disaster area from all over the country by theCommissioner of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency in order to respond to
the disaster and to provide relief operations such as rescuing survivors.

•

9

I-6

Fire Fighting Support Over a Wide Area
Large-scale fires, accidents and disasters

Regular fires, accidents and disasters○ Response by fire fightingorganization in relevant
municipality

City A○ Fire fighting support from emergency response teams
neighboring prefectures and nationwide(Number of teams registered as of April 1, 2011: 4,354)
Actual examples(As directed by the Commissioner of the Fire and Disaster
Management Agency)

Number of fire departments nationwide: 798

Earthquake: Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake (2004) , Great East Japan Earthquake(2011)

Number of full-time fire fighters nationwide: 159,000

Flood: Niigata and Fukushima flood (2004) , Fukui flood (2004)

Number of fire brigade members nationwide: 884,000

Rescue: JR Fukuchiyama Line derailment accident (2005) , etc. (total of 24
cases)(Current as of April 1, 2010, except for number of fire departments, which iscurrent as of April 1, 2011)

Request for support from governor
of affected prefecture
Request or order from theCommissioner of the Fire andDisaster Management Agency

Large-scale fires, accidents and disasters○ Fire fighting support from neighboringmunicipalities (including outside of prefecture)or municipalities within prefecture based onreciprocal fire fighting support agreements

Prefecture A

Dispatch of emergency fire response
teams (area where teams aredispatched from is increased
depending on extent of disaster)In the event of a
local disasterteams aredispatched fromneighboring
prefectures

Number of support agreements within prefectures: 47
Number of agreements between municipalities solely
within same prefecture: 1,739
Number of agreements between municipalities outside

Prefecture B

For the Tokai Earthquake, teams weredispatched from all over the countryof prefecture: 569(as of April 1, 2010)

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II-1

Disasters in Japan Compared to Rest of World
Number of earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater

Number of active volcanoes

Japan

Japan

212 (20.5%)

108 (7.0%)

World

World

1,036

1,548

Totals from 2000 to 2009. Prepared by the Cabinet Office based onseismic data from the Japanese Meteorological Agency forJapan, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) for the rest of theworld.

Number of disaster victims (‘000 people)

From 2010 whitepaper
on disaster prevention

Active volcanoes are those that have erupted within about the past
10,000 years. Prepared by the Cabinet Office based on volcano
data from the Japanese Meteorological Agency for Japan, and the
US Smithsonian Institute for the rest of the world.

Cost of disasters (billions of dollars)

Japan

Japan

9 (0.3%)206.8 (11.9%)

World

World

2,570

1,736.1

Totals from 1979 to 2008. Prepared by the Cabinet Office based ondata from the Epidemiological Research Centre (CRED),
Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium).

Totals from 1979 to 2008. Prepared by the Cabinet Office based on datafrom CRED.

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II-1

Annual Deaths and Missing Persons Due to Natural Disasters

Mikawa Earthquake &Makurazaki Typhoon
Dead: 4,779
Missing: 1,283

Fukui Earthquake
Dead: 3,769
Missing: 6

6,062

Nanki Flood, Typhoon
No. 13, etc
Dead: 2,144
Missing: 901(Taken from 2011
Year People Year People Year People Year People
1945 6,062
1962
381
1979
208
1996
84 disaster prevention
whitepaper)
1946 1,504
1963
575
1980
148
1997
71
1947 1,950
1964
307
1981
232
1998
109
1948 4,897
1965
367
1982
524
1999
142
1949
975
1966
578
1983
301
2000
78
1950 1,210
1967
607
1984
199
2001
90
Deaths:1951 1,291
1968
259
1985
199
2002
48
15,270
1952
449
1969
183
1986
148
2003
62
1953 3,212
1970
163
1987
69
2004
327
1954 2,926
1971
350
1988
93
2005
148
1955
727
1972
587
1989
96
2006
177
1956
765
1973
85
1990
123
2007
41
1957 1,515
1974
324
1991
190
2008
101
1958 2,120
1975
213
1992
19
2009
115
Missing:
1959 5,868
1976
273
1993
438
2010
146
8,499
1960
528
1977
174
1994
39
15,270
2011
1961
902
1978
153
1995 6,482
8,499

5,868
Ise Bay Typhoon

4,897

Dead: 4,697
Missing: 401

Great HanshinAwaji Earthquake

6,482

Dead: 6,434
Missing: 3

3,212
Niigata Chuetsu
Earthquake
NankaiEarthquake

Dead: 68327

Dead: 1,330

12

Note: The number of deaths and missing persons in 2011 applies only to the Great East Japan Earthquake (current as of May 30, 2011)

II-2

Damage and Fire Fighting Activities During the Great East Japan Earthquake (1) (damage situation)
The Great East Japan Earthquake struck on March 11, 2011 at 2:46 PM, with the epicenter in Sanrikuoki (magnitude 9.0; maximum

seismic intensity of 7 in Kurihara City, Miyagi), causing immense damage throughout Eastern Japan.

Characteristics of the disaster○ Largest recorded earthquake in Japanese history (magnitude 9.0). Immense destruction continued to occur along 3 faults covering an area about 450 km long and 200 km
wide. The earthquake continued for over 6 minutes in Tohoku (in Sendai, where a seismic intensity of 6 was measured, there were 4 large quakes in that time).
Note: The destruction of the faults started offshore from Miyagi prefecture and spread to areas offshore from Iwate, Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures.
○ The human losses and physical damage caused by the tsunami were immense.
○ Damage occurred in an extensive area (the worst human losses and physical damage occurred in the Tohoku region, but reached all over Eastern Japan).
○ As many as 550,000 people were evacuated (as of March 15), and many are still unable to return to their homes (70,077 people as of January 11, 2012).
○ The tsunami caused the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.
○ There have been 580 aftershocks to this point (magnitude 5.0 or greater).
Source: Meteorological Agency; current as of January 10, 2012
(Source: Fire and Disaster Management Agency; current as of Jan. 11, 2012)

Summary of the disaster
Human losses

Number of deaths: 16,131(Source: Fire and Disaster Management
Agency; current as of Jan. 11, 2012)

Iwate

4,665

Property damage

Iwate

Miyagi

Fukushima

Miyagi

FukushimaCompletely destroyed: 128,497

20,18484,062

19,781

9,472

1,925

Partially destroyed: 240,090

4,552

136,71261,925

7,316

212,994

142,166

Number of people missing:3,240(as notified to the authorities)

1,427

1,805

63

Number of people injured:
5,994

188

4,015

181

Partially damaged: 677,502

Note: The above figures were reported from each prefecture. Many municipalities are still being surveyed.

Note: These figures are from areas flooded and destroyed by the tsunami. Many municipalities are still
being surveyed.
(Source: Fire and Disaster Management Agency; current as of Jan. 11, 2012)

Number of fires that occurred
286

Iwate

Miyagi34

Fukushima

135

Note: Many of the fires that broke out are thought to have been caused by the tsunami.

11

13

II-2

Damage and Fire Fighting Activities During the Great East Japan Earthquake (2) (injuries/damage tofire fighting organizations in main stricken prefectures)

Main damage/injuries to fire fighting organizations in stricken prefectures
Main injuries/damage to fire departments(as of April 1, 2011)

Main injuries to fire brigades

Fire fighters

Deaths: 23; missing: 4Fire brigade members

Buildings (totally/partiallyFire headquarters/stations: 130

Buildings (no longer usable)

destroyed, or partially damaged)

Branches/Dispatch locations: 135

Trucks etc.

Trucks: 77; boats: 2; helicopter: 1*

Trucks etc.

(as of April 1, 2011)

Deaths: 241; missing: 12Fire brigade facilities (fire stations etc.): 412

257

Note: The above figures have been verified as of this time by reports from the fire department headquarters of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Chiba with regard to the full-time fire
departments, and from Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima with regard to fire brigades. Some municipalities are still being surveyed with regard to fire brigades, so the figures are unknown.
*A helicopter from the Miyagi Disaster Prevention Air Corp was swept away by the tsunami while parked in a Sendai Fire Department heliport (Wakabayashi District, Sendai City), and is no longer usable.

Comments: Examples of reports of activities by fire brigade members
Fire Bell Continued to Ring: 11 fire Brigade Members Dead or Missing(Mainichi Shimbun, March 23)

Members of the second brigade (Chief: Hiroshi Koshida; 28 members) in Otsuchi-cho in Iwate prefecture, where over 2,000 people died or are missing due to the Great East
Japan Earthquake, closed the tide wall gate and remained on the coast until the very end in an effort to evacuate citizens. As a result of carrying out their duties, 4 members
died and 7 are missing. One member, Fujio Koshida, continued to ring the fire bell, which is a symbol of the brigade, and was eventually swept away by the tsunami.

Dispatched Immediately After Earthquake: 26 Fire Brigade Members Dead or Missing (Yomiuri Shimbun, Morning Edition, March 28)
The members of the Takata Fire Brigade (about 120 members) of Rikuzentakata City, Iwate, closed tide wall gates in 5 locations immediately after
the earthquake. However, the great tsunami overwhelmed the tide walls, sweeping away members involved in evacuating residents. Twenty-six
members died or are missing. The remaining members, who are proud of being the defenders of the area, continued clearing debris and searchingfor missing people soon after mourning the loss of their colleagues.
Fire Brigade Member Held Mic and Announced Evacuation Until Very End (Tokyo Shimbun, Morning Edition, March 21)
さくらいあゆむ

A member of the fire brigade, who announced to residents to “please escape to higher ground” via loudspeaker on the day of the earthquake, was swallowed
up by the tsunami. It would be the final announcement of Ayumu Sakurai (46) of Natorishi, Iwate. The fire engine he was in was swept away and crushed, andthe three members in it were found dead. Mr. Sakurai, who was in the passenger seat, was still gripping a microphone in his right hand.

14

II-2

Damage and Fire Fighting Activities During the Great East Japan Earthquake (3) (fire fighting support form otherprefectures for the disaster-stricken prefectures)• Immediately after the earthquake occurred, emergency response teams from the other 44 prefectures were instructed to dispatch to the threeprefectures that were directly affected: Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima. (This was the first time teams were dispatched based on instructions).
• For a period of 88 days, from March 11, 2011 until activities finished on June 6, the total number of personnel dispatched reached 28,620,
equivalent to one in every five or six of fire fighters nationwide.
•The air force engaged in activities such as life-saving operations, aerial fire fighting and information gathering, while land forces engaged in activities
such as fire fighting, rescue and first-aid. To this point, the total number of people rescued stands at 5,064 (including those rescued in cooperation
with local fire departments).

Emergency response teams
Objective・ To ensure national support for the fire fighting system, and to implement life saving activities, etc.
effectively and quickly in the event of a large-scale or special disaster such as an earthquake.
Details of Establishment
Changes over time in emergency response teams and緊急消防援助隊
出動人員の推移
dispatchedpersonnel

・Emergency response teams were established in 1995 based on lessons learned from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
Registrations began with the Tokyo Fire Department and the fire departments of other major cities.
・ According to the June 2003 revision of the Fire Organization Act, emergency response teams are clearly positioned from a

Time period:
11 to June 6, 2011 (88Current
as ofMarch
April 62011
days)
Total
28,620(7,577teams)
Totaldispatched:personnel: 28,620(7,577teams)
Extended
personnel:
104,093(27,544
Extended personnel: 104,093 (27,544
teams)
teams)

3/12

March 18
Maximum: 6,099
people (1,558
teams)
3/19(1,558隊)
3/26
4/2

legal standpoint, and can be dispatched based on orders from the Commissioner of the Fire and Disaster Management
Agency.

Summary

As of June 6, 2011:83
people(28
teams)

・ The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communication will establish a general plan for organizing and maintaining facilities.
The Commissioner of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency will then register teams based on the plan.
・In the event of a large-scale or special disaster, teams will be dispatched by request or order from The Commissioner of
the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

4/9

4/16

4/23

4/30

5/7

5/14

6/6

・ As of April, 2011, 783 out of 798 fire departments nationwide were registered.

15

[Photograph] Disaster Example (1): Tsunami Reaches Shore (Taro, Miyako City)

Example of tsunami reaching the shore (Taro, Miyako City)

16

[Photograph] Disaster Example (2) (Kuwagasaki, Miyako City)

Photographs taken April 13, 201117

[Photograph] Disaster Example (3) (Activities Undertaken by Fire Brigades)

Fire breaks out

Searching for survivors in Nikkeshi, Soma City, March 19(courtesy of Outsu City fire department)

Fire brigade fighting a fireA search in Tairausuiso, Iwaki City, March 14 (courtesy of Shizuoka Fire
Department)

18

[Photograph] Disaster Example (4) (Damage Due to Tsunami)

Damage done to Kesennuma Koyo High School

19

[Photograph] Disaster Example (5) (Around JR Ofunato Station)
The situation 26 days after the earthquake

Around JR Ofunato Station

The Situation around JR Ofunato Station (from South)

20

[Photograph] Disaster Example (6): Situation Before & After Disaster(Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture)

Before disaster (October 18, 2010)

After disaster (March 13, 2011)21

[Photograph] Extent of Flooding by Tsunami Due to Great East Japan Earthquake (1)Map showing extent offlooding (Iwate)

Map showing extent of flooding (Iwate
and Miyagi)

22[Photograph] Extent of Flooding by Tsunami Due to Great East Japan Earthquake (2)Map showing extent offlooding (Miyagi)

Map showing extent offlooding in south Sendai

23