### b. Promoting the Earthquake Resistance of Residential Land

One of the solutions Japan has adopted for urban disaster management is the revised Act on Regulation of Residential Land Development, which requires more stringent technical standards for newly-developed residential areas in relation to earth filling to reduce damage caused by the sliding and/or collapse of large-scale earth filled structures resulting from large vibration amid a great earthquake. For existing housing land, the Project for the Promotion of the Earthquake Resistance of Housing Land is underway to prevent damage from landslides, earth collapse, and/or liquefaction by, for instance, providing local governments with support for ground deformation forecast surveys and prevention measures.

### c. Implementing Judgment of the Danger Level of Disaster-Affected Housing Land

The Government works with the Liaison Council for Judgment of the Danger Level of Disaster-Affected Housing Land, an organization composed of prefectures and ordinance-designated cities, to develop the arrangements needed to prevent secondary disasters in housing areas and secure the safety of people there by, for instance, preparing an operation manual that experts can refer to when they work after a disaster to determine the level of danger quickly and accurately.

### d. Development to Improve Densely Inhabited Areas

Densely Inhabited areas with issues regarding disaster resilience and living conditions are an urgent issue that requires immediate improvements through development. The Housing Basic Plan (National Plan) stipulates that the land area of densely inhabited areas (approximately 6,000ha nationwide) that are conspicuously dangerous when earthquakes occur should be mostly eliminated by 2020.

To realize this, making buildings more fire-resistant along highways and providing the roads with fire-spread prevention and evacuation routes together in order to

develop Disaster-prevention Framework Axes (Disaster-prevention Environment Axes) in cities and the development of disaster prevention parks to serve as evacuation areas, disaster prevention block improvement projects, and integrated housing and urban development projects will be used to eliminate decrepit architecture and joint rebuilding of fireproof architecture, expansion of narrow roads to improve evacuation and firefighting efforts among other small measures to improve the disaster resilience qualities of densely inhabited areas and promote the development of the living conditions.

### e. Securing Open Space

To improve disaster prevention functions and strive for safer and more comfortable town building, the development of disaster prevention parks is being promoted to serve as the center of restoration and reconstruction when earthquake disasters occur, center of disaster prevention as a relay hub for living supplies, and as an evacuation area to protect the lives of evacuees from urban fires. Also, a disaster prevention block improvement project that integrates the implementation of developing a disaster prevention park and the surrounding urban area is being implemented in six regions including Shinkawa Disaster Prevention Park (Mitaka City, Tokyo Metropolis).

### f. Promoting the Development of Government Facilities as Disaster Prevention Centers

Government facilities need to ensure comprehensive earthquake resistance safety, not only ensure the safety of visitors but also to fully function as the central facility for disaster emergency measure activities when large scale earthquakes occur. For this reason, goals for making government facilities earthquake resistant are set and their development is being promoted in a planned and focused manner and in fiscal year 2012, the Kobe Regional Joint Government Building was renovated for earthquake resistance.