JAPANI.

Natural hazards in Japan

1.1 Natural hazards likely to affect the country
Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanic Eruptions, Typhoons, Torrential Rains,Floods, Landslides and Snow Avalanches

1.2 Recent major disasters
ExampleNiigata Chuetsu Earthquake
23 October 2004

Earthquake People
People People
Houses damaged
Firekilledinjured evacuated (Houses collapsed) outbreaks
M 6.8
59
4,805
103,178
121,613913km depth(3,175)(National Response)
Immediately after the occurrence of the earthquake, the Emergency Response
Team comprised of designated senior officials on duty from relevant
ministries and agencies met at the Crisis Management Centre in the Prime
Minister’s Building. The Minister of State for Disaster Management and theEmergency Response Team discussed emergency response countermeasures
based on rapid disaster information collection and analysis. Based on suchinter-ministerial consultations, an emergency survey team consisting of 8ministries and agencies was immediately dispatched. Search and rescue
teams were also mobilized from fire brigade, police, coast guard and defenseforce.
The inter-ministerial emergency response Headquarters for this disaster(chaired by the Minister of State for Disaster Management) was established,which had 21 meetings in total from 24 Oct. to 19 Nov. The Minister led inter1

–governmental team to the affected areas on 24 Oct. to investigate thesituation and discuss with heads of local authorities.
In the affected prefecture, an on-site operation support/coordination centre
was established and Senior Vice-Minister of State for Disaster Management
and government officials from relevant ministries and agencies weredispatched to the centre until 3 Dec. 2004.
Based on needs assessments in the affected areas, the National Government
has provided full-fledged support including through sending emergency goods(food, potable water, blankets, tents, etc.) as well as mobilizing S&R, medicaland other expert personnel.
II.

Disaster management system

1. Administrative system
Japan has three (3) administrative levels of governance; national, prefecturaland municipal. Each level of governments has its own disaster management
organizations, policy frameworks and budgets. When disasters occur,municipalities respond first. In case disasters are large in scale beyond theircapacity, national and prefectural governments provide every possible
support.

2. Legal system, legal framework
The cornerstone of legislation on disaster risk reduction is the Disaster
Countermeasures Basic Act enacted in 1961.
Main Features of the Act
2••
•
•
•

Responsibilities of national and local governments as well as theprivate sector and people
Organization of multi-sectoral coordination bodies for disastermanagement at the national and local levels
Disaster management planning system
Basic actions to be taken in each phase of the disaster management
cycle:
prevention/preparedness,
emergency
response,andrecovery/rehabilitation
Annual Government Official Report on Disaster Countermeasures

A number of laws are enacted to address all the phases of disaster reduction.
For example, Large-scale Earthquake Countermeasures Special Act andEarthquake Disaster Management Special Measures Act for building nationand communities resilient to disasters.
Disaster Relief Act and Act Regarding Special Measures to Weigh thePreservation of Rights and Profits of the Victims of Specified Disasters for
immediate support to the affected populations and local authorities.
Act Concerning Support for Reconstructing Livelihoods of Disaster Victims
and Act Concerning Special Financial Support to Deal with DesignatedDisasters of Extreme Severity for better recovery to safer communities.
3. Structure of disaster management(Cabinet Office and the Minister of State for Disaster Management)
All the line ministries and agencies have responsibility to take actions
related to disaster reduction within their own mandate. The Cabinet Office is
responsible for formulating basic policies, strategies and guidelines fordisaster reduction and for securing coordination of government disaster
reduction activities.
A post of Minister of State for Disaster Management was newly establishedin the Cabinet in 2001 who takes lead in the responsibilities for disaster
reduction in the Natural Government.

3(Central Disaster Management Council)
Under the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act, the Central Disaster
Management Council was formed to ensure multi-ministerial and multisectoral involvement in disaster reduction in a coordinated manner.
The Prime Minister is its Chair and the Minister of State for Disaster
Management supports the Chair. Not only all the Ministers but also Heads ofrelevant public corporations such as the Bank of Japan, the Japanese Red
Cross Society, NHK (public broadcasting corporation) and NTT(telecommunication company) , and some academic experts are the memberof the Council.
The Council formulates the Disaster Management Basic Plan and other basicpolicies, strategies and guidelines.

4. Priority on disaster risk management
Reducing damage caused by disasters, especially sudden on-set earthquakes
and tsunamis, through wider involvement of all the stakeholders in disaster
reduction activities is continuously required. Among others the prioritizedissues are as follows:(1)Decrease the number of casualties by earthquakes• Retrofit/rebuild old existing houses and buildings• Affix furniture and adhere protective films on old windows• Encourage companies to make Business Continuity Plan (BCP)(2)Decrease the number of casualties by tsunamis• Distribute tsunami hazard maps
• Disseminate tsunami warnings effectively• Ensure that people are evacuated to safe places4(3)Further decrease the number casualties by typhoons and floods• Provide early evacuation alerts for the elderly and disabled• Distribute flood hazard maps
III.

Disaster management plan

Based on the Disaster Management Basic Act, the Central Disaster
Management Council formulates and reviews the Basic Disaster
Management Plan (latest amendments in July 2005). In accordance with theBasic Plan, all the government ministries and agencies as well as designatedmajor public corporations formulate their own Disaster Management
Operation Plan. All the local authorities also formulate their own Local
Disaster Management Plan.
Disaster reduction perspectives are incorporated into relevant development
plans such as Comprehensive National Development Plan, Social
Infrastructure Development Priority Plan, Land Use Plan and urban andrural planning
IV.

Budget size on national level

Disaster risk reduction is covered in the budget of national and localgovernments. At the national level, the annual budget for disaster risk
reduction is approximately $ 34 billion, which is about 5% of the total
general-account budget expenditure.
V.

Progress and situations of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)

Among others the recent prioritized efforts for the implementation of theHFA in Japan are as follows:
1. Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a local priority with astrong institutional basis for implementation(a) Initiated nation-wide movement for disaster reduction
A committee on the promotion of nation-wide movement for disaster
reduction was established under the Central Disaster Management Councilin July 2005 with members from various stakeholders to formulate basic planof action for the nation-wide movement.
(b) Formulated Earthquake Disaster Reduction Strategy
The Central Disaster Management Council formulated Earthquake DisasterReduction Strategy in March 2005, which set an overarching goal to halve
estimated damage caused by possible large-scale earthquakes and tsunamis
in the next decade.
52. Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning(c) Promoting hazard mapping for various disasters such as earthquakes,
tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and floods at community level(d) Enhancing early warning capabilities for all the possible disasters
including thorough R&D for emergency earthquake alerts by using thearrival time difference of P and S waves of earthquakes
3. Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety andresilience at all levels.
(e) Promoting disaster reduction education for school children including
thorough participation-oriented events to involve children in practicaldisaster exercises
4. Reduce the underlying risk factors(f) Promoting rebuilding and retrofitting of old houses and buildings
vulnerable to earthquakes
To accomplish a strategic goal to decrease the ratio of old housed from 25% to
10% in ten years, the Government is increasing the budget for subsidies anddeveloping a new tax reduction policy for building safer houses.
(g) Promoting efforts of the private sector to make Business Continuity Plan
(BCP)
5. Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels(g) Formulating emergency contingency planning in response to possible
large-scale earthquakes such as Tonanka and Nankai Earthquake
VI.

Projects on disaster reduction headed by your Ministry

Same as aboveVII.

ADRC Counterpart
Director General for Disaster Management,Cabinet Office, Government of JAPAN
1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8969

6