Disaster control measures must be taken in accordance with the basic principles of the following matters:
災害対策は、次に掲げる事項を基本理念として行われるものとする。
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;
我が国の自然的特性に鑑み、人口、産業その他の社会経済情勢の変化を踏まえ、災害の発生を常に想定するとともに、災害が発生した場合における被害の最小化及びその迅速な回復を図ること。
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;
国、地方公共団体及びその他の公共機関の適切な役割分担及び相互の連携協力を確保するとともに、これと併せて、住民一人一人が自ら行う防災活動及び自主防災組織（住民の隣保協同の精神に基づく自発的な防災組織をいう。以下同じ。）その他の地域における多様な主体が自発的に行う防災活動を促進すること。
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;
災害に備えるための措置を適切に組み合わせて一体的に講ずること並びに災害が国民の安全、国民生活及び国民経済に及ぼす影響についての科学的知見に基づく調査、予測及び評価並びに過去の災害から得られた教訓を踏まえて絶えず改善を図ること。
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;
災害の発生直後その他必要な情報を収集することが困難なときであつても、できる限り的確に災害の状況を把握し、これに基づき人材、物資その他の必要な資源を適切に配分することにより、人の生命及び身体を最も優先して保護すること。
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;
被災者による主体的な取組を阻害することのないよう配慮しつつ、被災者の年齢、性別、障害の有無その他の被災者の事情を踏まえ、全ての被災者がその被災地にかかわらず、できる限り、良好な生活環境をあまねく享受できるようにする等その時期に応じて適切に被災者を援護すること。
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.
Read this with the articles around it
disastermachine translation
「災害」
Damage caused by a storm, tornado, heavy rain or snow, flood, slope failure, debris flow, storm surge, earthquake, tsunami, soil liquefaction, volcanic eruption, landslide or other abnormal natural phenomenon, or by a large fire or explosion or another cause that a Cabinet Order (政令) specifies as causing damage on a similar scale.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (i)· applies throughout the law
recovery and reconstructionmachine translation
「復旧復興」
Recovery from a disaster and reconstruction after it.
Short name set inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (ii)
voluntary disaster management organizationmachine translation
「自主防災組織」
A disaster management organization that residents form of their own accord, in a spirit of neighbourly mutual cooperation.
Defined inArticle 2-2, paragraph (1), item (ii)