Japan is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. It must strengthen its efforts in everything from daily preparedness for its frequent earthquakes and heavy rain to post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

Past disasters have highlighted the inadequacies of countermeasures and the lack of a resident-first perspective. A prime example is the poor conditions in evacuation shelters. People are often forced to sleep on the floor with little privacy. Hygiene management is also lacking, which has led to disaster-related deaths.

Upgrading aging infrastructure, such as water and gas systems, is also an urgent issue. These systems are vulnerable due to low seismic resistance, and recovery takes time, obstructing efforts to rebuild lives.

Although these have been longstanding challenges, budgetary constraints have hindered the improvement of facilities and evacuation conditions. The government must identify the core issues and expand support measures.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced that his government was to begin preparations to establish a disaster management agency as a control tower for disaster response efforts. All political parties are stressing the importance of disaster prevention in their pledges for the Oct. 27 House of Representatives election.

Currently, the Cabinet Office oversees disaster administration, with around 150 staff members handling research, coordination with other ministries and agencies, and other tasks. However, many of these staff are on temporary assignments from other government arms and rotate every two to three years, making it difficult to cultivate specialized personnel. The workload has become excessive due to the need to address an onslaught of disasters, and a boost in both budget and staff numbers is urgently required.

The institutional design, such as how much authority the disaster management agency will have, is yet to be determined. There are also criticisms that if the agency's responsibilities overlap with those of other ministries and agencies, it could turn out to be wasteful. Examining the current system's shortcomings will be a starting point.

A massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough or directly beneath the Tokyo region, both projected to cause mass casualties, could strike at any time. Should such a disaster occur, the damage will be vast, transcending prefectural borders. In rural areas, where rapid aging and depopulation are progressing, the system of mutual support is weakening. In urban areas with concentrated populations, chaos will be unavoidable.

It is a major task of the government to coordinate wide-area evacuations. Collaboration with local governments and the private sector is also crucial.

It is the responsibility of politics to protect the lives and property of the people. Through the election campaign, voters should raise their awareness, and society as a whole should take this opportunity to improve disaster preparedness.