## ② Providing Disaster Preparedness Information Regarding Tsunamis

In order to strive for the reduction of disasters caused by tsunamis, the Japan Meteorological Agency is monitoring earthquake activities and sea levels in real time around the clock in order to make speedy and appropriate announcements for tsunami warnings and information.

Taking the issues made apparent by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) emphasizes the word “huge” for tsunami warnings in the case of great earthquakes over magnitude 8 to alert people of the state of emergency as part of new tsunami warnings and other informational wording starting in March 2013.

Also, to make the announcements of tsunami warnings more reliable and execute them rapidly but surely, broad-band strong-motion seismometers that can measure great earthquakes were installed domestically (80 locations nationwide) and 3 DART buoys (water-pressure gauges) were installed in 3 locations off the Pacific coast of the Tohoku Region for utilization in updating tsunami warnings and for offshore tsunami information.

As of March 2013, JMA monitors conditions with 36 offshore-water-pressure gauges, 15 GPS buoys, and 173 coastal tsunami observation points, and effectively utilizes tsunami information.

Additionally, in coordination with relevant agencies, a manual for the creation of tsunami and high tide hazard map and the compilation of case studies is provided as one of the measures against large-scale disasters such as great earthquakes along the Nankai Trough.

## ③ Tsunami Evacuation Measures

In the future, since there are fears of tsunami disasters being triggered by great earthquakes starting with great earthquakes along the Nankai Trough, the use of person trip surveys and other basic urban planning information to evaluate the evacuation path in urban areas based on the areas forecasted to experience flooding by tsunamis as well as the appropriate location of evacuation facilities was investigated.

## ⑷ Development of Parks and Greenery that Effectively Function to Reduce Tsunami Damages

Taking the lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake into account, “The Technical Guidelines for Development of City Parks Towards Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake” was formulated in March 2012 for utilization by local government in considering town building plan for reconstruction in which parks and greenery is considered to have four functions, that of multi-layered defense; evacuation path and evacuation space; assisting restoration and reconstruction; and disaster prevention education, so the concept of planning and designing parks and greenery to realize disaster mitigation effects is presented.

## ⑤ Tsunami Measures for Government Facilities

Government facilities act as the central facility for disaster emergency measure activities as well as temporary evacuation space and is something that contributes to the rescue of human lives, therefore securing necessary functions when tsunamis and other disasters occur is important.

In February 2013, the Council for Social Infrastructure prepared a report on securing functions in government facilities in preparation for great tsunamis and the combination of hard and soft measures indicated by this report for tsunami measures will be used in coordination with the organizations that operate and maintain government facilities to promote integrated and effective tsunami measures.

## (7) Earthquake Measures

## ① Improving the Earthquake Resistance and Safety of Housing and Architecture

Regarding the nation’s basic policy on the amended “Act for Promotion of the Earthquake Proof Retrofit of Buildings (Building Retrofitting Promotion Act),” the goal for improving the share of earthquake resistant houses and buildings used by many people is set to go from 75% in 2003 to at least 90% by 2015 and for the “Housing Basic Plan” a new goal of making 95% of all houses earthquake resistant by 2020 was set and currently guidance for buildings is being strengthening to promote earthquake resistance. In FY 2012, for projects to create a safe supply of housing and buildings, subsidies for earthquake resistant retrofitting were increased and temporary expansion measures were extended for the earthquake resistant retrofitting of housing and buildings as part of the efforts to strengthen the earthquake resistance of housing and buildings.

## ② Promoting the Earthquake Resistance of Housing Land

To reduce the damages due to the sliding collapse of embankments during large earthquakes, for new embankment housing land, the amended “Act on Regulation of Residential Land Development” establish stricter technical standards