## (2) Road Disaster Prevention Measures

To ensure a safe and highly reliable road network against disasters such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes, tsunamis, and heavy snowfall, disaster measures (measures for slopes, embankments, etc.), earthquake disaster measures (seismic reinforcement, etc.), and snow/cold region measures (development of anti-snow facilities) are being promoted as well as supplementing traffic facilities with disaster prevention functions (turning roadside stations, service areas, and parking areas into disaster prevention bases as well as developing emergency lines of communication and fire escapes).

Also, especially during large-scale disasters, each administrator broadcasts their own information making it confusing to users, so for the convenience of road users in the event of a disaster and ensure safe and smooth road traffic, a framework was developed so that information from road administrators and others are aggregated and then provided through the internet and other means so that the road disaster information is easy to understand for users.

Additionally, for regions that sustained devastating damages from the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, road development is being carried out as part of urban area development prioritized in the recovery plan and the development of access roads to expressway interchanges is being promoted. Also, as one measure to reduce tsunami damages, sea level indicator sheets are being added to road sign posts to promote the provision of sea level information to road users.

## (3) Disaster Prevention Measures for Various Transportation Modes

For railways, subsidies are provided to partially cover the costs of improvement projects such as disaster prevention projects carried out by passenger rail companies including rockfall and avalanche measures as well as coastal protection and improvement projects carried out by Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (Incorporated Administrative Agency) to maintain the function of the Seikan Tunnel such as the improvement of substations and train control facilities.

For ports, the system for broadcasting and sharing disaster information gathered by the nation and port administrators is being strengthened to contribute to quick and accurate assessments of damages and emergency transport in the event of a disaster occurring.

For airports, we make the most important facilities earthquake-proofing, to ensure the essential functions of air-traffic control and basic facilities. “The most important facilities” includes the airport which considered to be important for the maintenance of aviation network, and continuity securement of the business activity. Also, it will be the important base for emergency transportation in the time of disaster. Also, in preparation for a large-scale tsunami disaster due to great earthquakes along the Nankai Trough, tsunami evacuation plans were created for major airports at risk of being affected by tsunami disasters to stipulate evacuation procedures for airport users in the event of a tsunami. Early restoration measures to quickly recover airport functions after a tsunami disaster will continue to be explored.

## (4) Building a Logistics System Resistant to Disaster

The Great East Japan Earthquake highlighted the importance of utilizing the expertise and facilities of private sector logistics companies from the perspective of ensuring the smooth transport of relief supplies. In light of this lesson, the establishment of a logistics system that is resistant to disasters through the coordination of central government, local government, and logistics companies was evaluated and private logistics facilities that could be used as a base for supplies in the event of an earthquake were listed up (934 locations nationwide) and for applicable facilities, support was given to implement emergency power supply, communication, and other facilities to promote the establishment of a cooperative framework for coordination between the public and private sectors across the nation.

## Section 3 Ensuring the Safety of Architecture

## (1) Securing Trust for the Production and Supply System for Housing and Buildings

To ensure the complete legal compliance and appropriate architecting activities of registered architects so that citizens can obtain housing and use buildings with peace of mind, architectural structures beyond a certain scale that require sophisticated structural calculations are legally obligated to receive a structural calculation conformity assessment in accordance with the amended “Building Standards Act” in order to make architectural validation and inspections stricter.