CHAPTER 1:Disaster prevention

With lessons in mind, we will reinforce disaster-preventing systems

While the imminence of a Tokai earthquake is being pointed out and devastating damage estimates of a possible Tonankai/Nankai earthquake or a possible outbreak right beneath the Minami-Kanto area are gaining frightening reality, we must also take into consideration risks of petroleum complex fires resulting from an earthquake and toxic substances released from special facilities. To ensure people's safety in their social lives, we need to develop social infrastructures with a high capability for preventing disasters by considering every possible risk without averting our eyes from these facilities.

001 Japan's land area with high disaster risks

Japan is a country that has been subjected to large-scale natural disasters periodically. Because of its natural conditions such as geographical position, topography, geology and climate, Japan is prone to be stricken by an earthquake, a typhoon, intensive rain, or volcanic eruption leading to disaster. Its climatic conditions, when combined with the country's rugged, steep mountainous topography particular to an island country, can sometimes lead to serious damage from intensive rain caused by a typhoon or a seasonal rain front, a flood or a landslide. Checking the distribution of seismic centers and volcanoes with a map of plate locations on the globe will reveal that places frequented by seismic activities coincide with plate borders. Japan is located right on the border of an oceanic plate and a terrestrial plate. Further, as it is surrounded by the sea, it is also vulnerable to tsunamis, which can also cause serious damage. In FY2003 alone, Japan recorded 2,179 sensible earthquakes and eruption of 4 volcanoes. In the future, it is also considered necessary to promote disaster-preventing measures from a national point of view, rather than to leave them to regional level efforts.

002 Preparedness for an imminent crisis, a large-scale earthquake

In the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake, the number of buildings destroyed reached about 520,000 and a serious disaster was caused as the region's transportation networks and lifelines were also crushed. If a Tokai earthquake occurs, it is estimated that economic damage would reach about 37 trillion yen and the death toll, about 9,000. In addition, the imminence of an earthquake breaking out right beneath the Minami-Kanto region is being pointed out and risks of a possible Tonankai/Nankai earthquake are perceived with reality. If such an earthquake occurs, fire-fighting teams in the disaster-stricken area alone may not be capable of controlling the situation. In addition, it would become an extremely difficult task to send by land fire defense forces from various parts of the country to the disaster stricken area, where nobody can predict how the situation will develop.
To input large forces to provide first-aid, fire and rescue services within a limited time after the occurs of an earthquake in an efficient manner, it is essential that there is an efficient system to dispatch Emergency Fire Response Teams for an extensive disaster control operation, in which the fire defense headquarters throughout the country will cooperate with each other.
We must avoid situations in which we become powerless when we are actually confronted with such a large-scale earthquake. Fire and Disaster Management Agency hopes to be the organ that supports a strong volition shared by the nation's fire service personnel deployed all over the country.