Basic Act on Disaster Management

一the term "disaster" means damage resulting from a storm, tornado, heavy rainfall, heavy snowfall, flood, slope failure, mudflow, high tide, earthquake, tsunami, liquefaction of the ground, volcanic eruption, landslide, or other abnormal natural phenomena, or a large fire or explosion or other causes provided for by Cabinet Order and similar to the above in the extent of damage they cause;

二the term "disaster management" means preventing a disaster preemptively, preventing expansion of damage after a disaster has occurred, and recovering from a disaster and reconstructing after a disaster (hereinafter referred to as "recovery and reconstruction");

三the term "designated administrative organs" means the following organs designated by the Prime Minister:

イthe Cabinet Office, the Imperial Household Agency and organs prescribed in Article 49, paragraphs (1) and (2) of the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office (Act No. 89 of 1999), the Digital Agency, the Disaster Management Agency, and organs prescribed in Article 3, paragraph (2) of the National Government Organization Act (Act No. 120 of 1948);

ロorgans prescribed in Articles 37 and 54 of the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office, in Article 16, paragraph (1) of the Imperial Household Agency Act (Act No. 70 of 1947), and in Article 8 of the National Government Organization Act;

ハorgans prescribed in Articles 39 and 55 of the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office, in Article 16, paragraph (2) of the Imperial Household Agency Act, in Article 15 of the Act for Establishment of the Disaster Management Agency (Act No. 61 of 2026), and in Article 8-2 of the National Government Organization Act;

ニorgans prescribed in Articles 40 and 56 of the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office and in Article 8-3 of the National Government Organization Act.

四the term "designated local administrative organs" means local branch offices of designated administrative organs (referring to local branch offices prescribed in Articles 43 and 57 of the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 18, paragraph (1) of the Imperial Household Agency Act), Article 17, paragraph (1) of the Imperial Household Agency Act and Article 9 of the National Government Organization Act), and any other local administrative organs of the State designated by the Prime Minister;

五the term "designated public corporations" means incorporated administrative agencies (referring to incorporated administrative agencies prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Act on General Rules for Incorporated Administrative Agencies (Act No. 103 of 1999)), the Bank of Japan, the Japanese Red Cross Society, Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), and any other public institutions and corporations engaged in public welfare undertakings such as providing electricity, gas, transportation and telecommunications services designated by the Prime Minister;

六the term "designated local public corporations" means local incorporated administrative agencies (referring to local incorporated administrative agencies prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Local Incorporated Administrative Agency Act (Act No. 118 of 2003)), a port authority (referred to as "a Port Authority" in Article 82, paragraph (1)) prescribed in Article 4, paragraph (1) of the Port and Harbour Act (Act No. 218 of 1950), administrators of public facilities including land improvement districts prescribed in Article 5, paragraph (1) of the Land Improvement Act (Act No. 195 of 1949), and corporations engaged in public welfare undertakings such as providing electricity, gas, transportation and telecommunications services in the respective prefectures designated by the governor of the relevant prefecture;

七the term "disaster management plans" means a basic disaster management plan, a disaster management operation plan, and an area disaster management plan;

八the term "basic disaster management plan" means a basic plan on disaster management formulated by the National Disaster Management Council;

九the term "disaster management operation plan" means a plan on disaster management prepared by the head of a designated administrative organ (when the relevant designated administrative organ is a commission prescribed in Article 49, paragraph (1) or (2) of the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office or Article 3, paragraph (2) of the National Government Organization Act, an organ set forth in item (iii), sub-item (b), or an organ set forth in sub-item (d) of the same item that is based on a council system, the designated administrative organ; the same applies hereinafter excluding Article 12, paragraph (8), Article 25, paragraph (6), item (ii), Article 28, paragraph (2), Article 28-3, paragraph (6), item (iv), Article 28-6, paragraph (2) and Article 28-12, paragraph (6), item (ii)) or a designated public corporation (for the affairs or operations delegated by the head of a designated administrative organ or by a designated public corporation, the head of the designated local administrative organ or the designated local public corporation which received the relevant delegation) with respect to the function or operations under their jurisdiction based on the basic disaster management plan;

十the term "area disaster management plan" means disaster management plans concerning certain areas and comprises the following plans:

イprefectural area disaster management plan: formulated for an area of a prefecture by the prefectural disaster management council of the relevant prefecture;

ロmunicipal area disaster management plan: formulated for an area of a municipality by the municipal disaster management council or the mayor of the relevant municipality;

ハmulti-prefecture mutual area disaster management plan: formulated by a joint committee of prefectural disaster management councils and relating to an area which covers the area of two or more prefectures in whole or in part;

ニmulti-municipality area disaster management plan: formulated by a joint committee of municipal disaster management councils and relating to an area which covers the area of two or more municipalities in whole or in part.

一considering the natural characteristics of Japan, it is always assumed that a disaster may occur, taking into account changes in Japan's population, industries, and other social and economic conditions, and efforts are made to minimize damage and achieve a prompt recovery if a disaster occurs;

二while ensuring proper division of roles and mutual coordination and cooperation among the national government, local governments, and other public institutions, disaster management activities conducted voluntarily by each resident, those conducted by voluntary disaster management organizations (which means voluntary disaster management organizations based on a spirit of mutual cooperation among residents; the same applies hereinafter), and activities by various other actors in the area are promoted as well;

三measures for disaster preparedness are combined appropriately and implemented in an integrated manner, and efforts are made continually to make improvements based on surveys, forecasts, and assessments grounded in scientific knowledge concerning the effects of disasters on the safety of citizens, the lives of the citizenry, and the national economy, and on lessons learned from past disasters;

四even immediately after the occurrence of a disaster or during other times when it is difficult to gather necessary information, efforts are made to ascertain the status of the disaster as accurately as possible and distribute human resources, goods, and other necessary resources appropriately based on the disaster status, and thereby protect human lives and bodies as the first priority;

五while striving not to hinder voluntary efforts by disaster victims, the victims are provided with appropriate aid according to the timing, such as by enabling all disaster victims, regardless of the disaster-stricken area, to enjoy a good living environment universally to the extent possible, taking into account the ages, genders, existence or non-existence of disabilities, and other circumstances of the disaster victims;

六necessary preparations for recovery and reconstruction must be made, and, in the event of a disaster, efforts must be made promptly to restore facilities, aid victims, and achieve reconstruction from the disaster.