Recent History of Japan's Disaster Mitigation and the Impact of IDNDR

Abstract

This paper describes activities that were conducted in Japan under the umbrella of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR), including the first tangible contribution by Japan, after World War II, to worldwide disaster prevention efforts: the establishment of the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IISEE). Disaster reduction efforts in Japan and a diversity of IDNDR-related activities undertaken in Japan are quickly reviewed, and “international cooperation” in the Decade is considered with a view toward its reality. Also noted are the research activities following the serious impact of the Kobe earthquake as well as those of the Asian Disaster Reduction Center.