Japan is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean formed by tectonic plate movement. It is prone to natural hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions due to its geography. Some of Japan's most destructive disasters include the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, and the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Japan has established a legal framework and plans at the national, prefectural, and municipal levels for disaster management. Key organizations involved include the Cabinet Office, Disaster Management Councils, Fire and Disaster Management Agency, and Japan Meteorological Agency.

1. DSMHT 402: Disaster Management- Institutions and Instruments
7th Semester, 4th Year
Afroza Mallick
SN-004
Department of Disaster Science and Management
University of Dhaka
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2. About Japan
Hazard Profile of Japan
Notable Disasters
Legal Framework for Disaster
Management
Plans for Disaster Management
Related Organizations
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3.  Island nation in Pacific Ocean, east of Asia
 Formed by movement of several tectonic plates
 Covers only 0.25% of the land area of the world
 Archipelago with 6852 islands, 430 island inhabited
 Four main islands- Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku- 97% of Japan
 Population 127 million
 Linguistically and culturally homogeneous
 Consists of 47 prefectures and 1742 municipals
 Capital Tokyo city
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4.  Earthquakes
 Tsunami
 Typhoons
 Landslides
 Floods
 Torrential rain
 Snowfall related hazard
 Volcanic eruption
 Earthquake induced fire
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5. 1. Great East Japan Earthquake (2011)
2. Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (1995)
3. Typhoon Flo(1990)
4. Typhoon Bess (1982)
5. 1964 Niigata Earthquake
6. Typhoon Vera (1959)
7. 1946 Nankai Earthquake
8. 1945 Mikawa Earthquake
9. 1944 Tonakai Earthquake
10. 1933 Sanriku Earthquake
11. Great Kanto Earthquake (1923)
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Damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant (2011)
Liquefaction in Niigata Earthquake
Damaged
Hanshin
Expressway
(1995)
Devastation by
tsunami (2011)

6.  Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act
 Disaster Relief Act
 Fire Services Act
 Flood Control Act
 Landslide Prevention Law
 Meteorological Service Act
 Act on Special Measures for Active Volcanoes
 Act on Special Measures for Disaster Prevention in Typhoon-prone Areas
 Act on Special Measures for Earthquake Disaster Countermeasures
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7.  Basic Disaster Management Plan
 Disaster Management Operation Plan
 Local Disaster Management Plan
Prefectural Level
Municipal Level
 Community Disaster Management Plan
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8.  Cabinet Office
 Central Disaster Management Council
 Prefectural Disaster Management Council
 Municipal Disaster Management Council
 Fire and Disaster Management Agency
 Japan Meteorological Agency
 Japan Red Cross Society
 NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai)- Japan Broadcasting Company
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