## (Provision of more detailed and precise information on disaster prevention)

In order to gather precise information on disasters in advance, as much as possible, and address them more properly, the ministry provides sophisticated weather information for disaster-prevention, including municipality-based weather warnings of heavy rains and other extreme weather conditions and the severe thunderstorm nowcast (a one-hour forecast on severe thunderstorm and hazardous wind such as tornado), through various means such as terrestrial digital broadcasting. By doing so it realizes information networks that allow anyone, any time, anywhere to gain access to information on rivers, including very short-range forecasts and warnings of potential floods.

To enhance our preparedness against earthquakes, the ministry reinforces monitoring systems and information service systems, for example, by improving next-generation earthquake and tsunami monitoring systems and by improving the accuracy of earthquake early warnings.

## (Creating systems capable of prompt action in times of disasters)

In order to address a large-scale natural disaster by examining the extent of the damage immediately after an incident, the ministry will promptly deploy an emergency disaster rescue team (TEC-FORCE). In addition, to make it possible to implement emergency projects in order to prevent damage from spreading, the ministry enhances emergency response systems.

In addition, the ministry pushes forward the improvement and development of essential and extensive disaster prevention bases, which will serve as bases for emergency response and the formation of governing structures.

To enhance preparedness against an epicentral earthquake in a metropolitan area, central ministries and agencies, including MLIT, have formulated a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) so that they will be able to continue their jobs without interruption, as much as possible, and to restore their functions as rapidly as possible, even if central ministries and agencies as a whole are damaged by a disaster.

In addition, in order to allow important functions, including public transport, physical distribution, and building industries, to continuously work even in a time of disaster, the ministry facilitates the wider use of BCPs in concerned organizations.

## (b) Ensuring safety in people’s daily life

## (Enhancing the safety of public transport facilities)

In order to further enhance the safety of public transport facilities, transport operators themselves work hard to reinforce safety audit and to enhance transport safety management systems for the purpose of formulating and improving security management systems. The ministry reinforces precautionary measures, including safety improvement of air traffic control.

In addition, the Japan Transport Safety Board was established in October 1, 2008, to enhance investigation into causes of accidents and preventative measures in land, sea and air transport (airliners, railways and ship navigation).

In order to protect accident victims, the ministry also considers the implementation of information services for victims immediately after an incident and of measures to provide moral support to them.

## (Enhancing safety in our daily life)

In order to allow people to walk and ride bicycles more safely and comfortably, the ministry promotes sidewalk improvement, especially on school routes, the improvement of bicycle lanes set apart from both pedestrians and vehicles, and the removal of utility poles. Furthermore, by tightening standards designed to protect those on foot or in vehicles, the ministry pushes forward precautionary measures for vehicles.

To prevent accidents involving children at parks, the ministry works toward ensuring the safety and security of play equipment at parks.

Regarding crime-prevention, the ministry proceeds with the development of crime-preventative towns, in order to enhance the crime prevention features of entire communities.

## (Maintaining the function of social capital stock)

In order to make it possible to always safely and comfortably use social capital stock that supports our daily life, such as roads, rivers, sewage systems, ports and harbors, and publicly-operated housing, the ministry pushes forward strategic maintenance measures, including preventive maintenance management, given the anticipated rapid aging of these structures.