- School in Odaiba district conducts disaster-prevention drills 10 times yearly as educators stress readiness over fear

TOKYO/ANKARA/ISTANBUL 

Japan, one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, teaches disaster preparedness to children from their earliest school years, blending strict building standards with nationwide drills and community-based training.

Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire and shaken by around 1,500 earthquakes annually, Japan has shaped its modern disaster policies through the lessons of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake and the 2011 quake and tsunami that devastated the Tohoku region.

According to information from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the destruction caused by the 1923 Kanto quake and later Typhoon Vera in 1959 prompted lawmakers to introduce sweeping reforms. The 1961 Basic Act on Disaster Management established Japan’s current framework, later strengthened after the 1995 Hanshin disaster revealed widespread structural weaknesses in older buildings.

Financial support programs were introduced to reinforce vulnerable structures, while the 2011 tsunami expanded Japan’s focus to preparing for secondary hazards.

Today, nearly all public facilities have been reinforced, with officials saying roughly 99% meet seismic-resilience standards. Schools, in particular, are designed to serve as safe shelters when major quakes strike.

Training that starts early

While public building upgrades are funded by the state, strengthening private homes remains the responsibility of residents. The government subsidizes part of the cost, but individual homeowners decide whether to reinforce or rebuild.

Children, meanwhile, receive continuous disaster education at school. Students practice their response to earthquakes and tsunamis through monthly drills, learning evacuation, communication and basic survival steps.

During a press tour organized by the Japanese government, Anadolu reporters observed training at Koyo Junior High School in Tokyo’s Odaiba district, where students form a “Youth Disaster Prevention Team.” The school educates both elementary and junior high students and runs an active program that includes additional drills involving local residents.

During exercises, students rotate through four disaster-response groups: evacuation assistance, first aid, firefighting and food preparation. Some guide elderly residents and children during simulated quakes, while others learn to use fire extinguishers or prepare large quantities of rice for distribution after an emergency.

‘The important thing is to always remember that a natural disaster can occur’

Vice Principal Iwasaki Minoru told Anadolu that the students receiving training help evacuate the children of working parents and the elderly during earthquakes.

Noting that the area is a tourist district and that tourists also need evacuation assistance in the event of a disaster, Iwasaki said that students practice how to carry out such evacuations.

He noted that students at the school helped during the 2011 magnitude-9 Tohoku earthquake.

“At this school, they learn and practice how they can help others. This is special training; it’s held 10 times a year,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of disaster education, Iwasaki said:

"These things are very important for us; Japan is a place where natural disasters occur frequently. Natural disasters can happen anytime, at any moment. So how we protect ourselves and survive— these are crucial. For example, an earthquake could happen right now-we must be prepared. We haven't gotten used to earthquakes; we are able to live with them. I think what matters is always keeping in mind that a natural disaster can occur, and thinking about what we would do if it happened right now. In Odalba, every household has a three-day stock of food and water. Surviving for three days is important, so we believe someone will come to rescue us afterward."

On the upper floors of the school, there are packages of dry food and bottles of water that may be needed after an earthquake. These supplies are renewed every five years due to expiration dates.

A nationwide system with shared responsibilities

In Japan, the Cabinet Office stands out as the main institution coordinating national disaster response.

Disaster-prevention measures such as strengthening infrastructure and enforcing building regulations are generally carried out by the relevant ministries. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism is foremost among them. Each ministry prepares its own implementation plan and receives its own budget.

The Ministry of Agriculture is required to draw up its own disaster management plan for agricultural land. The Ministry of Health sets aside its own budget to prepare medical services for disaster situations. The Ministry of Education carries out school education programs with its own budget.

Each ministry receives its by own budget for disaster preparedness, while the Cabinet Office focuses on national coordination and long-term planning.