この法律は、国土並びに国民の生命、身体及び財産を災害から保護するため、防災に関し、基本理念を定め、国、地方公共団体及びその他の公共機関を通じて必要な体制を確立し、責任の所在を明確にするとともに、防災計画の作成、災害予防、災害応急対策、災害復旧、災害からの復興及び防災に関する財政金融措置その他必要な災害対策の基本を定めることにより、総合的かつ計画的な防災行政の整備及び推進を図り、もつて社会の秩序の維持と公共の福祉の確保に資することを目的とする。
The purpose of this Act is to protect the national land and the lives, bodies, and properties of citizens from disasters by formulating basic principles, establishing the necessary system through input by the national government, local governments, and other public institutions, and, in addition to clarifying where responsibilities lie concerning disaster management, drawing up a basic policy on necessary disaster control measures including formulation of disaster management plans, disaster prevention, emergency disaster control measures, disaster recovery efforts, reconstruction from disasters, and financial measures concerning disaster management, thus developing and promoting a comprehensive and systematic disaster management administration and contributing to the preservation of social order and securing the public welfare.