Press Conference by Prime Minister Ishiba regarding the Establishment of the Disaster Management Agency in Light of the 30th Anniversary of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and Other Matters
January 17, 2025
[Provisional translation]
(On Prime Minister Ishiba's thoughts on the establishment of the Disaster Management Agency in FY2026, which marks the 30th Anniversary of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and on the proposal to establish the agency in a region outside Tokyo, as requested by the Union of Kansai Governments and the City of Kobe)
It has already been 30 years. At that time, I had been elected as a Diet member for the third term. On that day, I happened to be in my constituency, and I vividly remember how strong the tremors were, probably because I was relatively close to the epicenter of the quake. I visited the affected areas several times. More than 6,400 people lost their lives, and I would like to offer my prayers for the souls of the deceased, wishing them eternal peace. I would also like to express my heartfelt sympathy to those still suffering in various ways, and the Government is ready to take any necessary actions to support them.
In dealing with the issue, it is to be noted, as has just been pointed out, that the probability of an earthquake occurring along the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years is 80%, and the probability of an earthquake occurring directly beneath the Tokyo Metropolitan Area within the same time frame is 70%. As these numbers will naturally increase over time, I recognize that it is no longer a matter of if, but when such an event will actually occur. Given this reality, we face the question of how we will establish a system for the extremely difficult task of forecasting earthquakes, how we will address human-made disasters that occur after unavoidable natural disasters, and how we will ensure that buildings are sufficiently earthquake-resistant through careful monitoring. And if a large-scale earthquake unfortunately does occur, as we saw after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake thirty years ago, as well as the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, you and your family are most likely to be affected, falling into extreme despair in the midst of severe cold, with your homes destroyed, jobs lost and no clear prospects for the future. Therefore, we must significantly improve the capacity of evacuation centers with the Sphere Standards (Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response) in mind. The planned Disaster Management Agency is designed to respond to matters both before and after a severe disaster. In this context, we will also expand the budget for the Meteorological Agency. I am committed to ensuring that such systems are in place as soon as possible, and to that end, I will increase the personnel and budget in charge of disaster management within the Cabinet Office as an interim measure. Once the Disaster Management Agency is established at the earliest possible date, I hope it will ultimately be transformed into a fully-fledged Ministry of Disaster Management in the future. The Government will do everything possible to ensure the success of this initiative and will seek the understanding and support of the people.
As the Union of Kansai Governments pointed out the necessity of the Disaster Management Agency at an early stage, I would like to respond positively to their proposal. However, regarding the location of the agency, we must carefully consider the conditions that should be prioritized to ensure that the chosen location will not hinder its ability to function effectively in the event of a disaster. Certain functions must be based in Tokyo due to parliamentary and international responsibilities. We need to engage in thorough discussions and quickly reach a solution, including whether to divide the functions so that some can be located outside Tokyo, while also addressing the issue of redundancy.
(On the impact of the summary indictment over the undeclared political funds by the Liberal Democratic Party in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on the upcoming Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election and the House of Councillors election and what kind of explanation or response Prime Minister Ishiba request from them?)
As you have pointed out, this concerns a group called the Liberal Democratic Party in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. To my knowledge, issues in such a form are not commonly seen in other prefectures. However, it is undoubtedly an LDP organization. Although the details of this issue have not been fully disclosed, it is undoubtedly related to an LDP organization, and I deeply regret that this has caused a loss of trust in the party among the citizens and voters of Tokyo, as well as the people of the entire nation, while more needs to be done to clarify the whole picture of this issue and determine subsequent responsibility. As the party president, I apologize for this matter, and I hope that the full picture of this issue will be uncovered promptly, with appropriate responsibility taken. The party leadership, in consultation with the Tokyo chapter, must ensure that it has no intention of distancing itself from the issue. Such an approach will encourage us to work to restore trust in our party as we head into the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election and the House of Councillors election.
(On Prime Minister Ishiba’s remark that (issues in such a form) are not commonly seen in other prefectures)
At least to my knowledge, I am not aware of such issues in other parts of Japan, but I have just been informed of certain reports and received relevant briefings. Therefore, I will carefully consult with the appropriate individuals, including the party’s Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters and the Director of the Local Organizations and Local Assembly Members Division, to determine the appropriate action to be taken.