ともに、前へ 仙台
Moving Forward As One SENDAI

Developing Sendai into a Disaster –resilient City：
through Public-Private Cooperation
Based on Experiences and Lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake

Yukimoto ITOVice Mayor, City of Sendai, Japan

Overview of Sendai CitySendai

90 minmin.

JR SSendaid i StStationtiTohoku Shinkansen(Shortest)

Tokyo
Shinkansen

1) Overview of Sendai City・Population: Over one million; the largest city in theTohoku region
・ EstablishedE t bli h d as a castle
tl ttown ini 1601 bby ffeudald l llorddDate Masamune・The political, economic, academic, and cultural centerof the Tohoku region2) Population, etc. (as of May 1, 2014)
Population: 1,070,757 Households: 489,481
Administered Wards: 5 (Aoba, Miyagino,Wakabayashi, Taihaku, Izumi)3) Geography
・Total land area: approx. 785 k㎡(approx. 50km from east to west; approx. 30km from northto south))・The west is a mountainous region with an elevation ofaround 1,000m above sea level (mainly mountain forests).
・In the central area, there is a large hilly area with several
rivers running through it, including the Nanakita River,Hirose River and Natori River (mainly urban andresidential areas).
・Low-lying areas in the east (mainly agricultural land
except the Sendai Port area)

2

The Great East Japan Earthquake (2011)
D t /Ti
Date/TimeM h 11,March
11 2011 att 2
2:46
46 p.m.

Magnitude

9.0

TsunamiHeight: 7.2m (estimated)

Seismic intensity Map
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency

Enormous tsunami damagegCompletely collapsed
andd partiallyti ll damaged
ddhouses: 139,643
Houses with minor
damage: 116,046

Casualties:913Injuries:
2,275

A village swept away by the tsunami (Near Fujita, Wakabayashi Ward)3

Through our experiences in the disaster . . .
Our disaster countermeasures meant for an earthquake on the scale of the
Miyagi-ken-oki Earthquake proved effective to some extent. However, some
new issues were brought to light.
・In particular,particular the importance of “Citizen
Citizen PowerPower" in overcoming various
difficulties in everyday life after the disaster emerged in diverse organizations
such as local community organizations, NPOs and businesses.

4Cooperation with community organizations such as neighborhood associations
・Establishment of independent disaster-prevention organizations and implementation of disastert i i intraining
i localll communities
iti
Sendai has established and promoted independent disaster prevention organizations in local communities forthe past 30 years.
There are 1,365 such organizations throughout the city (99% of neighborhood associations in the city havefformedd them.)th)More than 1,100 disaster-prevention trainings are held annually.
・Operation of evacuation centers immediately after the Great East Japan EarthquakeO e 100,000
Over00,000 people
peop e e
evacuatedacua ed too 288
88 evacuatione acua o cecenterse s in Se
Sendaida aaftere theeG
Greatea East
as Japa
Japan Earthquake.
a qua eLocal community groups including neighborhood associations and residents’ associations played a leadingrole in the operation of evacuation centers.
⇒An example of successful regular cooperation between city administration and local community
organizations such as neighborhood associations

A training session for operating an evacuation center.

Actual scene at an evacuation center.

5

Cooperation with NPOs and other public interest groups
・Organizing
Oi i andd utilizing
tili ididisastert relief
li f volunteersl t

The Sendai City Council of Social Welfare launched the Sendai City Disaster
Relief Volunteer Center and utilized volunteers from around the country.
・Operating the Sendai Disaster Multilingual Support Center
The Sendai International Relations Association provided information in foreign
languages
g g via radio,, website,, blog,
g, e-mail magazine
gand other media.
・Checking in on residents of temporary housing
A program was established to check in on residents of temporary housing.
S d i outsourced
Sendaitd ththe program tto theth PersonalPlS
Supportt CenterC t organizedi dbbyNPOs in Sendai.
Disaster Volunteer Center inW k b
Wakabayashi
hi W
WarddSendai Disaster Multilingual
Support Center

Checking in on residents oft
temporary
housinghi6

Cooperation with businesses
・Agreements with private businesses
Sendai has concluded agreements with private businesses regarding measures to help
stranded commuters and the provision of energy and supplies including food, clothing, andeveryday sundries in times of disaster.
・Active role of small- and medium-sized local businesses
Regarding the provision of supplies, regardless of whether agreements were in place,
many smallsmall and medium
medium-sized
sized local businesses continued business using goods in stockand their own supply routes. They contributed to the alleviation of shortages of supplies
caused by interruptions in the flow of goods and actively engaged in initial response andfirst aid including rescue operations and removal of debris.

Citizens lining up at the market (March 16, 2011)7
Debris piled up at the Gamo storage site (April 18, 2011)

Public-private cooperation in disaster prevention in Sendai
Cooperation with businesses is an important theme for administration

・Securing tsunami evacuation facilities
In areas that are projected to flood in a tsunami,
Sendai concluded agreements with private
businesses to use their buildings as designatedevacuation facilities. ((The basic ppolicyy for tsunami
evacuation was settled in March 2013.)

This tsunami evacuation tower owned by Nippon Steel & Sumikin
Metal Products will be used as a designated evacuation facility
through an agreement.

Establishing a distribution system for relief supplies
・Establishing
By utilizing the expertise of private delivery companies, Sendai plans to establish a system fordelivering supplies directly to evacuation centers.

8Tago-Nishi Eco Model Town Project（１）Building
g a community
y that is secure even in a disaster
Secure sources of energy necessary during disasters（２）Implementing the best mix of various types of energy such as sunlight, natural gas
and storage batteries
Smart use of energy that doesn’t rely on any one energy sourceg a community
y with participation from local residents, industry,y academia（３）Developing
and government
Develop new city planning initiatives that conserve energy
Perspective view of public reconstruction housing

9

Initiatives from the Sendai City Earthquake Disaster Reconstruction Plan
Model development
ppproject
jfor a disaster-resilient Sendai
to "learn from past disasters for the future"●Reviewing the operation and functions of evacuation
centers
・Consider the use of facilities other than public schools
・Develop new operation manuals
・Review stockpiles and the distribution of supplies, secure
emergency power sources
sources, and strengthen communicationfunctions●Educate on disaster prevention
・SpreadSpread disaster awareness to promote individual self
self-help
help
initiatives
・Promote disaster-prevention activities in local communities
and cultivate “local disaster-prevention leaders”
・Promote
Promote new disaster-prevention
disaster prevention education at schools●Develop ties beyond community borders
・Promote cooperation with diverse organizations beyond
community borders●Accumulate and disseminate knowledge on disasterprevention
・Gather research results on the mechanisms that caused therecent earthquake and tsunami and knowledge on disaster
response, recovery and reconstruction efforts

MutualassistanceSelf-help
Protect yourself

Cooperation and mutual support
in local communities

DDevelopingl i didisaster-resistantti t t communities
iti

Publicassistance
Government support

Hosting the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
D i i toDecisiont holdh ld theth 3rd
3 d WCDRR iin SSendaid i
The UN General Assembly held on December 21, 2013((December 20 New York time)) decided that the 3rd WCDRR
would be held in Sendai.
Dates
March 14 – 18, 2015

Overview• Inter-Governmental Segmentgand Multi-Stakeholder Segment
gVenue: New convention facility and Sendai International Center• Public Forum
General forum, symposia and seminars, exhibitions (disaster risk
reduction and recovery), trade displays (disaster risk reductionindustry), etc.
Venue: Tohoku University Centennial Hall (Kawauchi Hagi Hall), Sendai
Civic Auditorium, Tokyo Electron Hall Miyagi, Sendai Mediatheque, etc.
• Social Event
Welcome receptions, study tours, excursions, etc.

UNISDR WCDRR website
http://www.preventionweb.n
et/wcdrr/homeSendai as a role model for disaster risk reduction
Sendai was recognized as a Role Model in the 2010-2015
W ld Di
WorldDisastert CCampaign
i “M“Makingki Citi
Cities RResilient.”
ili t ”We have a duty to contribute to worldwide disaster riskreduction.
Sendai：A role model in promoting community
community-based
based
disaster risk reduction and empowering people to act on
disaster risk reduction.

UNISDR website
http://www.unisdr.org/

11ともに、前へ 仙台
Moving Forward As One SENDAITh k you very much.
ThankhYukimotoYki t ITO
Vice Mayor, City of Sendai, JAPAN12