In light of the national government’s recent revision and publication of the “Basic Plan for Promoting Emergency Measures for an Earthquake Directly Beneath the Capital,” we are pleased to share the governor’s comments as follows.

Today, the national government revised and released the “Basic Plan for Promoting Emergency Measures for Earthquakes Directly Beneath the Capital” for the first time in 11 years.
Regarding the new and raised targets set forth in the national plan, there are items for which the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has already established equivalent or higher targets, as well as items that require further progress; we will conduct further analysis.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has already begun revising its damage estimates to strengthen disaster prevention measures. We aim to finalize new damage estimates tailored to Tokyo’s actual conditions by the end of this fiscal year. Based on these estimates and the national plan, we will proceed with revising our regional disaster prevention plans.

Furthermore, the national plan includes provisions to promote “dual-region residency”—which should ideally be chosen based on individual preference—for the purpose of disaster prevention; to examine the future of national land use as a medium- to long-term issue in light of the concentration of population in the Tokyo metropolitan area; andand to consider in advance the securing of temporary alternative hubs in the event of a worst-case scenario where it becomes difficult to maintain the capital’s core functions within the Tokyo metropolitan area. Such statements unduly emphasize the disaster risks facing Tokyo as the capital and could send the misleading message that “Tokyo is in danger.”

To date, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has been continuously working to strengthen the city’s resilience in preparation for a major earthquake directly beneath the capital and other disasters. Steady progress has been made in initiatives such as retrofitting homes to withstand earthquakes and preventing fires, which has helped reduce casualties and property damage. Targeted measures and concentrated investment in Tokyo are highly effective in disaster mitigation and directly contribute to the nation’s overall strength.

In addition, regarding the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Disaster Prevention Center—which is located at the Tachikawa Wide-Area Disaster Prevention Base, a hub for government and related agency facilities that serves as a backup facility for the government in the event of a large-scale disaster—the government plans to proceed with the development of a new disaster prevention hub to serve as a replacement facility.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is committed to building the world’s most resilient city—one capable of protecting its residents from the threat of disasters and safeguarding Japan’s capital.

Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo

Contact: Disaster Prevention Planning Section, Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Division, General Affairs Bureau Phone: 03-5388-2454