Japan's government officially launched its new Disaster Management Agency on November 2, tasked with overseeing disaster policies. On its first day, the agency urgently requested citizens to conduct seismic assessments of their homes and stockpile water and food in preparation for major earthquakes. It also called on various ministries and local governments to reinforce infrastructure and improve shelter facilities, with plans to review progress by the end of the year.
According to the Asahi Shimbun on November 3, Koshi Hoshino, the inaugural Disaster Minister, stated at a press conference that the Nankai Trough earthquake along the Pacific coast of central-western Japan and a potential earthquake directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area could occur at any time. He emphasized that the probability of a Nankai Trough earthquake occurring within the next 30 years is estimated to be between 60% and 90%, while the likelihood of a Tokyo earthquake is around 70%, urging proactive measures.
Hoshino urged citizens living in homes built before 1981 to have their structures assessed for seismic safety and to stockpile “at least three days’ worth, ideally a week’s worth, of water and food.” He remarked, “While the government will devote all efforts to disaster response, in the event of a national crisis, each individual must take responsibility for their own safety.”
The agency has outlined a total of 106 tasks for various ministries, including infrastructure reinforcement and the expansion of shelter facilities. Local governments have been instructed to train disaster response personnel and pre-select sites for temporary housing. The Disaster Management Agency plans to assess progress at the end of the year and recommend improvements if necessary.
As a cabinet-level agency led by the Prime Minister, the Disaster Management Agency takes over disaster management responsibilities previously held by the Cabinet Office, overseeing everything from preparedness to disaster response and recovery. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged at the launch ceremony, “Do not allow departmental silos; act as a strong command center to mobilize all ministries.”
The agency's focus is on identifying and addressing regional vulnerabilities before disasters occur, a strategy termed 'pre-disaster management.' According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the agency plans to quadruple the budget for its 'Disaster Resilience Enhancement Comprehensive Grant' to 14 billion yen (approximately $118.9 million) in its 2027 budget request, supporting local governments in reviewing their disaster plans. This initiative aims to help municipalities identify shortages of ambulances, hospital beds, and personnel needed for rescue operations through simulations, integrating these findings into their disaster plans.
Improving shelter conditions is one of the agency's key goals. Hoshino expressed at the launch ceremony, “I want to demonstrate that Japan's disaster preparedness, particularly the conditions of shelters, has improved.”
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, an 81-year-old resident of Uki City in Kumamoto Prefecture, affected by the July earthquake, is still living in a shelter. He recounted sleeping on the floor with a blanket for weeks before cardboard beds were provided, stating, “It was hard to sleep on the floor; my back hurt. Please improve the conditions in shelters.”
Yoshiteru Murozaki, an emeritus professor at Kobe University, told the Yomiuri, “Japan is a disaster-prone country, but the improvement of shelter conditions and support for housing reconstruction are insufficient, making it a 'disaster management backward country.'” He added that discussions about the agency's establishment seem to have prioritized formal aspects like personnel and organizational size, stating, “We need to verify what has gone wrong in disaster administration and clarify the tasks that need to be addressed.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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