g. Improving the Earthquake Resistance of Public Works facilities

For river works, earthquake resistance inspections are carried out and necessary measures are implemented so that levees, floodgates, and other river structures remain functional even under what is referred to as level 2 seismic movement.

For coastal works, earthquake resistance measures are promoted in regions requiring large-scale earthquake measures so that their functions are not damaged before tsunamis arrive.

For road works, to ensure smooth emergency and rescue activities, transport emergency supplies, and emergency transport essential to recovery efforts when earthquake disasters occur, important roads such as emergency transport roads are subject to seismic strengthening of bridges and elimination of utility poles. As for elimination of utility poles, based on the amendment of the Road Act and other legislation in June 2013, for roads important to disaster prevention such emergency transport roads, frameworks to allow the road administrator to prohibit or restrict private use as well as allow for national government to grant utility cable administrators interest-free loans through local government were established.

For port works, for disasters in which extensive damages are expected such as the great earthquake along the Nankai Trough and Tokyo metropolitan epicentral earthquake, to secure an economic and social system that does not succumb to functional failure, increase Japan's competitiveness, and gain international trust, the earthquake and tsunami resistance of port facilities, that serve as the base of wide area networks both domestically and internationally as well as port complexes are being strengthened depending on the urgency of disasters and the importance of port function.

For airport works, in addition to serving as the base of rescue, emergency medical activities and emergency transport when earthquakes and other disasters occur, seismic strengthening of government facilities and basic facilities that are absolutely essential to ensure necessary control functions is being implemented for the airports considered important for maintaining air transport, as well as for maintaining the aviation network and ensuring the continuity of hinterland economic activity.

For railway works, in preparation for the great earthquake along the Nankai Trough and Tokyo metropolitan epicentral earthquake, earthquake measures for major stations, elevated bridges, and other railway facilities are being promoted. Also, the fortification of the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge’s (Hon-Shi Bisan Line) earthquake resistance is being steadily implemented to avoid and reduce damages due to the Nankai Trough earthquake and other events and secure the railway network that connects Honshu and Shikoku.

For sewage works, to ensure the functions required of sewers during earthquakes, “disaster prevention” such as strengthening the earthquake and tsunami resistance of pipes and water treatment facilities that connect disaster prevention bases with treatment plants and “disaster mitigation” which aims to minimize damages in anticipation of disasters striking are being combined for the promotion of integrated earthquake measures.

### h. Sediment-related Disaster Countermeasures against Large-Scale Earthquakes

In preparation for large-scale earthquakes such as the great earthquake along the Nankai Trough and Tokyo metropolitan epicentral earthquake, areas at risk of sediment-related disasters that are at high risk of damage due to earthquakes including factors such as being a base of disaster prevention and impacting important transport networks or evacuation routes or creating isolated population areas, the development of sediment-related disaster prevention facilities along with warning and evacuation systems will be promoted as part of effective sediment-related disaster measures that integrate soft and hard measures. Also, in preparation for secondary disasters due to post-earthquake rainfall and other events, regarding sediment-related disaster prevention facilities and risk areas as well as river channel blockage and other areas that may experience sediment-related disasters, when earthquakes occur, emergency and intensive inspections and studies will be conducted based on risk assessments regarding areas considered vulnerable to phenomenon such as slope failure to promote the establishment of a system to execute swift emergency measures when failure or other events are confirmed.

### i. Japan Meteorological Agency Initiatives

To prevent and reduce disasters due to earthquakes, seismic activities in and around Japan and crustal movements of the area under intensified measures against earthquake disaster are being monitored 24/7 basis to provide rapid and accurate Earthquake Early Warnings (EEWs), earthquake information, and information related to the Tokai Earthquake as swiftly and accurately as possible.

For Earthquake Early Warnings (EEWs), in light of experiences with the Great East Japan Earthquake, to ensure information is announced appropriately, the power supply and communication lines of earthquake observation stations