effort gaps have emerged between size groups – between prefectural and municipal governments and between large enterprises and small and medium-sized ones. We must appropriately address these gaps in order to enhance the entire society's resistance to disasters.

## (2) Developing an environment where cloud services are used securely

Local governments place great expectations on cloud services to be used for ensuring business continuity and are making cloud service-introduction efforts. But private enterprises have lagged behind local governments in this respect. Problems with the cloud service introduction include the absence of measures to customize cloud services to meet specific needs, information leaks and other security fears, and network safety fears. A poll of local governments shows that more than 40% of respondents cited these three points. These problems represent challenges facing the entire cloud services. With a view to ensuring business continuity in disasters, we may be required to develop an environment where enterprises and other entities can securely use cloud services.

## Section 4

## Enhancing anti-disaster ICT measures based on lessons of the Great East Japan Earthquake

### 1. Government measures

## (1) Cabinet Office responses

In an effort to thoroughly review earthquake and tsunami countermeasures in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Central Disaster Prevention Council on April 27, 2011, established a special panel on earthquake and tsunami countermeasures based on lessons of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Based on final recommendations given by the panel on September 28, the council revised its basic disaster prevention plan on December 27.

## (2) IT Strategy Headquarters responses (IT disaster-prevention lifeline promotion council)

On March 9, 2012, the IT Strategy Headquarters established an IT disaster-prevention lifeline promotion council to consider and diffuse disaster-prevention lifelines using ICT and enhance information-sharing and cooperation between the public and private sectors.

### 2. MIC responses – Enhancing ICT's resistance to disasters

## (1) Enhancing communications' resistance to disasters

a. Securing communications in emergencies including large disasters

In April 2011, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications created a panel on how to secure communications in emergencies including large disasters. The panel submitted final recommendations on December 27, 2011.

### b. R&D for enhancing communications infrastructure's resistance to disasters

The MIC has launched research and development efforts to improve communications infrastructure's resistance to disasters under the third FY 2011 supplementary and FY 2012 principal budgets. Under the FY 2012 budget, the MIC is implementing the research, development and evaluation of "satellite communications networks effective in disasters" and "technologies to quickly increase communications capacity in emergencies" as information and communications network infrastructure technologies to be required for secure information conveyance in disasters.

### c. R&D and demonstrations of information and communications technologies responding to wide-area disasters

Under the FY 2011 budget, the MIC implemented an early adoption of research and development fruits and demonstration tests in disaster-damaged areas to help contribute to the reconstruction of areas damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

## (2) Enhancing broadcasting's resistance to disasters

Based on an analysis and assessment of damage to broadcasting equipment in the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Information and Communications Council gave additional consideration to technical conditions for broadcasting safety and reliability that had been under consideration since before the disaster. The council then concluded that blackout countermeasures should be enhanced. Based on the council's recommendations regarding this point (May 17, 2011), the MIC implemented the technical standards for broadcasting safety and reliability on June 30, 2011.

### 3. Restoration and reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake

In order to revive societies and economies and reconstruct the livelihood in the disaster-damaged areas and revitalize the entire Japan, the government must make all-out efforts to promote restoration from the Great