Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the ceremony to present the Prime Minister's Commendation to contributors for disaster prevention for FY2013 held at the Prime Minister's Office.

In accordance with the stipulation "Concerning Disaster Prevention Day and Disaster Prevention Week" approved by the Cabinet on May 11, 1982, this ceremony is held to present the Prime Minister's Commendation to the groups and individuals who have made outstanding achievements in contributions to disaster prevention activities at times of disaster, such as lifesaving and the prevention of the further expansion of damage, and to the heightening of disaster prevention awareness and development of disaster prevention systems at times of normalcy.
This year, 2 individuals and 47 groups received the Prime Minister's Commendation.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

"As exemplified by Typhoon Talas two years ago, the heavy rain in northern Kyushu last year, and the spate of damages wreaked by the unprecedented heavy rainfall which lashed various areas in Japan this year, the natural conditions of Japan make the country prone to disasters, such as earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy rains. Many precious lives and invaluable property have been lost as a result of such disasters.
The Government will continue to put all its efforts into supporting disaster-stricken people and the recovery and reconstruction of disaster-stricken areas. At the same time, in order to protect people's lives and property by preparing against future major disasters, including a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough and a metropolitan earthquake, the Government will continue to take steps to make all of Japan disaster-resilient.
It is my hope that this commendation will serve as an opportunity for achieving further success in your activities in different areas, and that the various efforts are further promoted."