Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi holds a press conference following the close of the extraordinary Diet session at the Prime Minister's Office on the afternoon of July 27. (©Sankei/Ataru Haruna)
このページを で読む
Japan's Upper House has passed a bill to establish the Disaster Management Agency, which will serve as the central hub for disaster response.
The creation of an organization directly under the Cabinet dedicated exclusively to disaster preparedness and response is expected to strengthen management efforts across both the public and private sectors. The agency is scheduled to begin operations in November.
Japan is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries, frequently experiencing earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and other natural disasters.
The Nankai Trough earthquake, a potentially massive earthquake expected to occur along an underwater tectonic boundary off Japan's Pacific coast, and a major earthquake directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area are both considered highly likely to occur in the future.
Addressing Delays in Disaster Mitigation
However, government disaster mitigation plans aimed at reducing fatalities and damage have fallen significantly behind schedule. The new agency is expected to investigate the causes of these delays and help accelerate implementation.
Created by expanding the disaster management division currently under the Cabinet Office, the agency will take responsibility for formulating basic disaster preparedness policies.
Until now, the division has had limited personnel and organizational capacity, leaving it primarily responsible for coordinating among ministries rather than overseeing progress on disaster reduction measures.
The new framework is also intended to overcome these limitations and improve coordination, a long-standing issue in Japan's disaster management system.
With new authority to recommend improvements, the agency will be able to call on ministries whose disaster reduction efforts are behind schedule to take corrective action. Those ministries will be required to consider and respond to its recommendations.
Expanding Research and Expertise
Strengthening disaster policies based on scientific evidence will be another key focus. The agency is expected to expand research and technological capabilities, including the use of simulations to assess regional disaster risks, and play a central role in developing future preparedness strategies.
Developing disaster management personnel will also be a priority. Plans call for the establishment of a disaster management university to provide practical education and training for national and local government officials, as well as private-sector workers.
Developing the next generation of disaster management specialists will require long-term efforts. Proposed measures include expanding opportunities for students to study earth science and geography in schools and increasing university programs in fields such as geoscience and crisis management.
In addition, the agency will work with the Cabinet Secretariat on administrative tasks and training related to the rescue and support of evacuated residents during armed attacks. These efforts will form part of broader national crisis management preparations.
Funding and Local Government Challenges
Questions remain, however, over the agency's ability to secure sufficient resources. It reportedly does not plan to make budgetary recommendations to the finance ministry, raising concerns about its influence in securing funding for disaster preparedness.
Supporting local governments facing limited budgets and personnel shortages due to population decline will also be a major challenge.
RELATED:
- Japan Revises Tokyo Megaquake Plan with More Multilingual Support
- Day One at SusHi Tech Tokyo Reveals the Future City Taking Shape
- Foreign Residents as Key Partners in Disaster Preparedness
- New Report Warns Tokyo Megaquake Would Be a National-Scale Disaster
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
このページを で読む
