Disaster Risk Management in Japan with Special Reference to “Sendai Framework”

Abstract

Due to the geographical, geological, and meteorological conditions, Japan has experienced almost all types of natural disasters except for drought. As a result, Japan has a long history of disaster management experience, which can serve as a useful reference for other countries. He is particularly well known for his scientific and technical research and international contributions in this field. All three previous UN World Conferences on Disaster Risk Reduction have been held in Japan, and the Sendai Framework, adopted in 2015, lays out a range of issues related to disaster risk management that each country should tackle by 2030. This chapter aims to explore the historical trends, characteristics, problems, and roots in disaster management in Japan. In particular, the chapter argues that, concerning the Sendai Framework’s goal of reducing community and national disaster risk through hard and soft measures, Japan’s actual disaster risk reduction is too inclined to the hard side. The chapter points out the historical, economic, and legal aspects of disaster risk reduction as the causes.