The government's Central Disaster Prevention Council was held on the 30th and newly designated areas where disaster prevention measures should be promoted in preparation for the huge earthquakes expected to occur in the "Kurishima Trench" and "Japan Trench".


As for 108 municipalities in 7 prefectures that are at risk of serious damage from tsunami, they will be designated as "Special Reinforcement Areas", and financial support will be strengthened by the national government.

At a meeting of the Central Disaster Prevention Council held at the prime minister's official residence on the afternoon of the 30th, special measures were taken regarding the huge earthquake and tsunami expected to occur in the "Kurishima Trench" and "Japan Trench" offshore from Hokkaido to Iwate Prefecture. Prime Minister Kishida designated areas where disaster prevention measures should be strengthened based on the law.



Of these, 108 municipalities in seven prefectures on the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Chiba are designated as "specially strengthened areas," which are expected to be flooded by tsunamis within 40 minutes of a huge earthquake. it was done.



In the "specially strengthened areas," the government will subsidize from one-half to two-thirds of the cost of developing tsunami evacuation towers, evacuation facilities with cold protection functions, and roads for evacuation. In addition to being raised, special measures will be applied to facilitate group relocation to higher ground, and tsunami countermeasures will be strengthened.



In addition, 155 municipalities were newly designated as "promotion areas" where there is a risk of strong shaking with a seismic intensity of 6 lower or more and tsunami of 3 meters or more.



Regarding the Kuril Trench and the Japan Trench, according to the damage estimates announced by the government at the end of last year, a massive earthquake of magnitude 9 class and a massive tsunami would kill up to nearly 200,000 people.



At the meeting on the 30th, the government's basic plan was changed, including the goal of reducing the estimated number of deaths in a huge earthquake in the Chishima Trench and the Japan Trench by about 80%. and large-scale commercial facilities will formulate new plans and promote concrete measures.



Prime Minister Kishida said, "In Japan, where disasters are becoming more severe and more frequent, it is our mission to reduce the number of victims, even if only by one person. I would like you to swiftly and steadily promote the enhancement and strengthening of countermeasures."

What is a “specially strengthened area”?

A “specially reinforced area” is an area where tsunami countermeasures are required to be strengthened because there is a risk of serious damage in the event of a tsunami due to a huge earthquake.



Based on the Act on Special Measures for Chishima Trench and Japan Trench Earthquakes, 108 municipalities in 7 prefectures from Hokkaido to Chiba are designated. All municipalities specified.



In Hokkaido and Tohoku, it is expected that it will take time to put on warm clothes and evacuate on snowy roads in winter. is intended for



In addition, Ibaraki and Chiba are defined as areas that will be inundated by a tsunami of 30 centimeters or more within 30 minutes of the occurrence of an earthquake, the same as the standard for the "Nankai Trough."



In the "specially strengthened areas", the government's financial support will be strengthened to promote both hard and soft measures to protect lives from tsunamis.



Specifically, the government will bear the costs of installing tsunami evacuation towers, developing evacuation facilities equipped with cold protection functions to avoid hypothermia, and developing evacuation routes that take into account snow accumulation and frozen road surfaces. The percentage is increased from 1/2 to 2/3.

List of additional designated "promotion areas"

As the scale of earthquakes assumed by the government was raised to magnitude 9 class, Hokkaido, Tohoku, and 155 municipalities in the Kanto region were newly added to the "promotion areas" to strengthen disaster prevention measures.



"Promotion areas" are required to create a promotion plan that sets targets and achievement periods for disaster prevention measures, targeting areas where severe shaking with a seismic intensity of 6 lower or more is expected.



Together with the 117 municipalities designated in 2006, a total of 272 municipalities were designated as "promotion areas."



Municipality names are:

Hokkaido

The newly added cities are


▽ Muroran City, Abashiri City, Noboribetsu City, Date City


▽ Matsumae Town, Fukushima Town, Shiriuchi Town, Kikonai Town, Shikabe Town, Mori Town, Yakumo Town, Oshamambe Town, Esashi Town, Oumu Town, Toyoura Town, Sobetsu Town, Shiraoi Town, Toyako Town, Biratori Town, 19 cities and towns.

Hakodate City, Kushiro City, Obihiro City, Tomakomai City, Nemuro City, Hokuto City,



Atsuma

Town, Mukawa Town, Hidaka Town, Niikappu Town, Urakawa Town, Samani Town, Erimo Town, Shinhidaka Town, Otofuke Town, Shihoro Town, Kamishihoro Town, Shikaoi Town, Shintoku Town, Shimizu Town, Memuro Town, Nakasatsunai Village, Sarabetsu Village, Taiki Town, Hiroo Town, Makubetsu Town, Ikeda Town, Toyokoro Town, Hon The 43 municipalities are Betsu, Ashoro, Rikubetsu, Urahoro, Kushiro, Akkeshi, Hamanaka, Shibecha, Teshikaga, Tsurui, Shiranuka, Betsukai, Nakashibetsu, Shibetsu, and Rausu.



Mayor of Kushiro, Hokkaido Plans to build evacuation facilities in the Oarakuge district

In response to the designation of Kushiro City, Hokkaido, as a ``specially strengthened area,'' Mayor Daiya Ebina has announced a policy to build a complex building that will serve as an evacuation facility in the coastal Orakuge district.



At a press conference on the 30th, Mayor Ebina welcomed the designation, saying, "The designation will promote drastic measures in terms of hardware." In the district, we have clarified the policy of constructing two complex buildings that will serve as evacuation facilities.



We are planning to utilize government subsidies, and one building will house a welfare facility for the elderly and a children's center, while the other will house a fire department branch, allowing residents to use it on a regular basis.



The construction start date is undecided.



Mayor Ebina said, ``It is desirable that the places we use on a daily basis become evacuation facilities.

Aomori Prefecture


Aomori City, Goshogawara City, Towada City, Tsugaru City,


Hiranai Town, Imabetsu Town, Yomogita Village, Sotogahama Town, Ajigasawa Town, Fukaura Town, Nakadomari Town, and Shichinohe Town

have been added .



So far,


Hachinohe City, Misawa City, Mutsu City,


Noheji Town, Rokunohe Town, Yokohama Town, Tohoku Town, Rokkasho Village, Oirase Town, Oma Town, Higashidori Village, Kazamaura Village, Sai Village, There are 16 municipalities in Gonohe, Nanbu, and Hashikami.

Iwate Prefecture

The 10 cities and towns that have been added are


Morioka City, Hanamaki City, Kitakami City, Tono City, Oshu City,


Shiwa Town, Yahaba Town, Kanegasaki Town, Hiraizumi Town, and Sumita Town.



So far,


Miyako City, Ofunato City, Kuji City, Ichinoseki City, Rikuzentakata City, Kamaishi City


▽ Otsuchi Town, Yamada Town, Iwaizumi Town, Tanohata Village, Fudai Village, Noda Village, Hirono Town 13 municipalities.

Miyagi Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture was designated last time in 2006, and all 35 municipalities are "promotion areas".

Fukushima Prefecture


Fukushima city, Aizuwakamatsu city, Koriyama city, Shirakawa city, Sukagawa city, Nihonmatsu city, Tamura city, Date city, Motomiya city,


Koori town, Kunimi town, Kawamata town, Otama village, Kagamiishi town, Ten Sakae Village, Inawashiro Town, Nishigo Village, Izumizaki Village, Nakajima Village, Yabuki Town, Tanagura Town, Yamatsuri Town, Tamagawa Village, Hirata Village, Asakawa Town, Furudono Town, Miharu Town, Ono Town, Kawauchi Village, Katsurao Village, and Iitate Village. Municipality.



So far, 10 cities and towns have been designated:


▽Iwaki City, Soma City, Minamisoma City,


Hirono Town, Naraha Town, Tomioka Town, Okuma Town, Futaba Town, Namie Town, and Shinchi Town.



All three prefectures in the Kanto region were designated as "promotion areas" for the first time this year.

Ibaraki Prefecture

▽Mito City, Hitachi City, Tsuchiura City, Ishioka City, Yuki City, Ryugasaki City, Shimotsuma City, Joso City, Hitachiota City, Takahagi City, Kitaibaraki City, Kasama City, Toride City, Ushiku City, Tsukuba City, Hitachinaka City, Kashima City, Itako City, Hitachiomiya City, Naka City, Chikusei City, Bando City, Inashiki City, Kasumigaura City, Sakuragawa City, Kamisu City, Namegata City, Hokota City, Tsukubamirai City, Omitama City,


▽Ibaraki Town , Oarai Town, Shirosato Town, Tokai Village, Daigo Town, Miura Village, Ami Town, Kawachi Town, Yachiyo Town, and Tone Town.

Tochigi Prefecture

▽Utsunomiya City, Oyama City, Moka City, Otawara City, Yaita City, Nasushiobara City, Sakura City, Nasukarasuyama City, Shimotsuke City


▽Mashiko Town, Motegi Town, Ichikai Town, Haga Town, Takanezawa Town, Nasu Town, Igawa Town of 16 cities and towns.

Chiba Prefecture

▽Chiba City, Choshi City, Tateyama City, Narita City, Sakura City, Asahi City, Katsuura City, Yachiyo City, Abiko City, Yotsukaido City, Inzai City, Sosa City, Katori City, Sanmu City, Isumi City, Oami Shirasato City


▽ 27 municipalities: Sakae Town, Kanzaki Town, Tako Town, Tosho Town, Kujukuri Town, Shibayama Town, Yokoshibahikari Town, Ichinomiya Town, Chosei Village, Shirako Town, and Onjuku Town.

At the Central Disaster Prevention Council this time, the government's basic plan, which serves as a guideline for disaster prevention measures against large-scale earthquakes, has been changed, as envisioned for the Kuril Trench and the Japan Trench.



Among them, 40 goals to be achieved are specified. ▽


Tsunami evacuation towers and buildings are designated in all target coastal municipalities.

▽In


addition to aiming to conduct annual evacuation drills.


It is proposed that most of the houses with insufficient earthquake resistance will be eliminated.



In addition, although no numerical targets have been set, we will also promote


the development of evacuation facilities equipped with functions to protect against the cold


, the stockpiling of dry clothing and heating equipment to prevent hypothermia,


and measures to prevent freezing and snow on evacuation routes. and



In the next 10 years, these measures will

be implemented, and the "disaster mitigation target" will be set to reduce the number of deaths estimated by the national government to a maximum of


199,000 along the Japan Trench and a maximum of 100,000 along the Chishima Trench by approximately 80%.


increase.



In addition, in the event of a magnitude 7-class earthquake, we will disseminate and operate the "Hokkaido Sanriku Oki Subsequent Earthquake Warning Information," which calls attention to the occurrence of subsequent large-scale earthquakes, and promote daily preparations. We want to help you evacuate quickly.



At the meeting on the 30th, the basic plan of the country, which included countermeasures against earthquake damage, was also changed, and the target local governments will proceed with the preparation of plans for disaster prevention measures for each region based on this.

Development of tsunami evacuation towers is progressing in designated areas

Prior to this designation, in 2014, the municipalities of 13 prefectures in Tokyo and 13 prefectures, which are expected to be damaged by a Nankai Trough megathrust earthquake, were designated as "special strengthening areas" from Kanto to Kyushu along the Pacific coast.



In the designated areas, in addition to the maintenance of tsunami evacuation towers, it is now possible to receive subsidies for the costs of moving welfare facilities and schools to higher ground, and hardware measures are being promoted.



According to the Cabinet Office, as of April 2021, 77% (385 towers) of the 502 tsunami evacuation towers nationwide are located in municipalities designated as special reinforced areas for Nankai Trough megathrust earthquakes.



Among them, in Kuroshio Town, Kochi Prefecture, a tsunami evacuation tower with a height of 22 meters was constructed in an area where it is assumed that there is a risk of flooding of up to 18 meters.



In addition, the town has made efforts to prevent casualties, such as assigning staff to each district and confirming evacuation routes and evacuation sites with residents, and conducting training to actually escape to the evacuation tower. .

List of municipalities in "specially strengthened areas"

108 municipalities in the seven prefectures of Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Kanto have been designated as "Special Strengthening Areas," where enhanced tsunami countermeasures are required in preparation for a megathrust earthquake that is expected to occur in the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench.

Hokkaido

▼Hokkaido has 39 cities and towns.



▽ Hakodate City, Muroran City, Kushiro City, Tomakomai City, Nemuro City, Noboribetsu City, Date City, Hokuto City


▽ Matsumae Town, Fukushima Town, Shirinai Town, Kikonai Town, Shikabe Town, Mori Town, Yakumo Town, Oshamambe Town, Toyoura Town , Shiraoi Town, Atsuma Town, Toyako Town, Mukawa Town, Hidaka Town, Niikappu Town, Urakawa Town, Samani Town, Erimo Town, Shinhidaka Town, Taiki Town, Hiroo Town, Makubetsu Town, Toyokoro Town, Urahoro Town, Kushiro Town, Akkeshi Town, Hamanaka Town, Shiranuka Town, Betsukai Town, Shibetsu Town, and Rausu Town.

Aomori Prefecture

▼Aomori Prefecture has 22 municipalities.



▽ Aomori City, Hachinohe City, Goshogawara City, Misawa City, Mutsu City, Tsugaru City


▽ Hiranai Town, Imabetsu Town, Yomogita Village, Sotogahama Town, Ajigasawa Town, Fukaura Town, Nakadomari Town, Noheji Town, Yokohama Town Kasho Village, Oirase Town, Oma Town, Higashidori Village, Kazamaura Village, Sai Village, and Hashikami Town.

Iwate Prefecture

▼Iwate Prefecture has 12 municipalities.



▽ Miyako City, Ofunato City, Kuji City, Rikuzentakata City, Kamaishi City


▽ Otsuchi Town, Yamada Town, Iwaizumi Town, Tanohata Village, Fudai Village, Noda Village, Hirono Town.

Miyagi Prefecture

▼Miyagi Prefecture consists of 15 cities and towns.



▽Sendai City, Ishinomaki City, Shiogama City, Kesennuma City, Natori City, Tagajo City, Iwanuma City, Higashimatsushima City


▽Watari Town, Yamamoto Town, Matsushima Town, Shichigahama Town, Rifu Town, Onagawa Town, Minamisanriku Town.

Fukushima Prefecture

▼Fukushima Prefecture consists of 10 cities and towns.



▽ Iwaki City, Soma City, Minami Soma City


▽ Hirono Town, Naraha Town, Tomioka Town, Okuma Town, Futaba Town, Namie Town, Shinchi Town.

Ibaraki Prefecture

▼Ibaraki Prefecture has 9 municipalities.



▽ Hitachi City, Takahagi City, Kitaibaraki City, Hitachinaka City, Kashima City, Kamisu City, Hokota City


▽ Oarai Town, Tokai Village.

Chiba Prefecture

▼Choshi City is designated in Chiba Prefecture.