## 6 Ensuring Operation Sustainability

## (1) Approaches taken by the NPA

The central functions of politics, public administration and economy are gathered in the Tokyo metropolitan area, where the density of population and buildings are high. Consequently, extensive damage is envisioned in the event of an epicentral earthquake.

In view of this situation, the NPA revised the “National Public Safety Commission/National Police Agency Business Continuity Plan” in May 2012, and is reviewing business continuity structures by speeding up information transmission and emergency meetings when disasters occur, the re-selection of priority operations under emergency conditions, and the expansion of stockpiled supplies and other measures and is pushing forward with approaches related to establishing multiple back-up sites when the NPA building function is lost.

## (2) Approaches taken by the Prefectural Police

In order to promptly conduct operations such as evacuation guidance for victims, search and rescue activities, searches for missing persons, autopsies and body identification, securing emergency traffic routes, providing victim support, patrolling affected areas, and cracking down on crimes. The prefectural police are promoting approaches to secure business continuity through the formulation of business continuity plans and preparation of back-up sites in coordination with related agencies.

Case: In November 2011, the Kanagawa prefectural police conducted major-earthquake initial response drills on the assumption of a large-scale earthquake with extensive damage across the entire Kanagawa prefecture. In this exercise, as well as implementing assembly drills for all personnel, designated personnel were assembled at the “Kanagawa Prefecture Police Training Center”, the back-up facility in the event of damage to the prefectural police headquarters, while at the same time, personnel from the prefectural police headquarters were sent to the back-up facility to undertake training to have the facility up and running.

NPA Approach to Securing Operational Continuity

Other than items stipulated in the National Public Safety Commission/National Police Agency Operations Continuity Plan, stipulation of items necessary to secure the continuity of high priority operations, while dealing appropriately with factors obstructing the operations of the National Public Safety Commission and all the internal departments of the National Police Agency, in the event of an earthquake occurring directly beneath the capital.

## Hastening of communications/emergency assembly

Expansion of methods of communication with personnel and methods of confirming safety

➢ Preparation of emergency assembly environments through the diversification of assembly methods

Expansion of communi-cation methods Diversification of assembly methods

## Multiple back-up facilities

Review of utilization of Kanto Regional Police Bureau (Saitama city) and the National Police Academy (Fuchu city), etc. as back-up facilities

Kanto Regional Police Bureau (Saitama city)

## Review of operational continuity structures

Expansion of stockpiled supplies in the NPA buildings, enhancement of Disaster Management Office functions, structural enhancement of Disaster Security Headquarters

Re-selection of priority operations during disasters

## Securing the operational continuity of prefectural police

The NPA will provide guidelines for operations continuity plans