prevention activities in response to flood damage and landslides caused by concentrated downpours and localized heavy rainfall that are becoming increasingly frequent in recent years, are being developed. Rainfall information is also available on the Internet, and an observation system consisting of 38 radars was established as of the end of March 2016.

## (vii) Designation of Areas that are Expected to Become Flooded and Submerged

To reduce the flood damage by means of smooth and rapid evacuation and prevention from inundation when a flood occurs, districts that are likely to be inundated when the river floods (flood inundation forecast districts) are designated and information such as the depth of inundation is publicized in accordance with the Flood Control Act. With the 2015 amendments to the Flood Prevention Act, areas that are expected to become flooded and submerged because of conceivable maximum-scale rainfall will be sequentially designated and publicly disclosed.

In order to provide support for the production of hazard maps for the benefit of users that are directly tied to more effective evacuation actions in municipalities included in areas that are expected to become flooded and submerged, we will revise procedures for the production of hazard maps based on discussions carried out at meetings of expert panels that were held in FY 2015 as well as provide support tools to simplify the production of hazard maps and technical support for dissemination and utilization.

Areas expected to become flooded and submerged have been designated and publicly disclosed for approximately ninety-seven percent of flood-forecasted rivers and rivers for which water levels are publicly disclosed. Flood hazard maps have been produced for approximately ninety-eight percent of municipalities included in areas that are expected to become submerged.

The MLIT not only allows for tax subsidies for inundation prevention facilities obtained by the underground malls, etc. in inundation forecast areas in accordance with inundation prevention plans and supports voluntary flood defense initiatives carried out by underground malls, facilities for people with special needs, and large-scale factories via the disaster information dissemination office established within the river-related office of Regional Development Bureaus and others across the nation as a contact point for businesses and others.

## (viii) Strategic Maintenance and Management of Rivers

The condition of river channels and facilities are assessed and appropriate maintenance and management is carried out in accordance with any changes to ensure that the river administration facilities developed function as intended during floods and other situations.

In the course of river development carried out, the number of facilities, such as levees, weirs, floodgates, and drainage pump stations, under management greatly increased, and the age degradation of these facilities is advancing. Also, for river infrastructure, migration to condition-based maintenance is being implemented where degradation conditions are monitored through inspections so that measures are taken at appropriate moments to as much to extending facility life cycles and renewal in a planned manner. In addition, the Priority Plan for Social Infrastructure Development states that major river infrastructure administered by the nation will have lifetime extension plans by FY 2016. In addition, necessary technological development for extending lifetime will be furthered and technical standards for middle to small rivers will be studied in cooperation with prefectures for appropriate maintenance and management. In addition, technical support is provided through permanent consultation services made available by regional development bureaus.

The River Law revised partially in 2013 clarifies the need for the administrator of river management facilities or authorized structures to maintain river management facilities or permitted structures in good condition through maintenance and repair, stipulates the absolute minimum technical standards that must be adhered to by all administrators regarding the maintenance and repair of river management facilities and others by decree, and also revise the Technical Criteria for River Works: Maintenance (River) for promotion of appropriate maintenance.

## (ix) Measures Against Illegally Moored Vessels in Rivers

Since illegally moored vessels in rivers can impede flood control measures (such as by impeding river construction work, blocking the downstream flow during flooding, and damaging river management facilities) and otherwise impede the management of rivers (such as by causing water pollution through the leakage of fuel and impeding river usage), river