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On March 7, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the Commemorative Ceremony for the 70th Anniversary of the Firefighting and Disaster Management System under Local Governments, held in Tokyo in the presence of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

Following a congratulatory address, Prime Minister Abe presented the Prime Minister’s Commendations.

The Prime Minister said in his congratulatory address,

“Today, on the occasion of this ceremony held in the gracious presence of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the firefighting and disaster management system under local governments, I would like to make some congratulatory remarks as Prime Minister.

Today marks the 70th year since the entry into force of the Fire and Disaster Management Organization Act and the establishment of the firefighting and disaster management system under local governments. During this period, we have achieved the steady development of the firefighting service in Japan, and that fire service has contributed greatly to securing the public’s safety and peace of mind. This is the result of the hard work of everyone involved with the firefighting service, including the members of our fire departments and brigades, who have endeavored day and night in their duties while paying no heed to danger. I want to express my deep respect for that. I also want to offer my gratitude and heartfelt congratulations to those who have been awarded with a commendation today for their tremendous contributions over many long years.

Japan is a country that frequently experiences natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanos, typhoons, and torrential rains. Even in the past 10 years, we have lost many precious lives and assets to numerous disasters, including the unprecedented disaster that was the Great East Japan Earthquake. There are concerns that we will see other large-scale earthquakes in the future, such as a Tokyo Inland Earthquake or a Nankai Trough Earthquake. In light of those concerns, the Government will exert every effort to advance disaster prevention and mitigation measures and make Japan into the world’s safest country.

The fire service constantly works close to the people, striving to secure their safety and peace of mind on a daily basis. When disasters strike, fire service members rush to the scene of those disasters. They risk their own lives to fight fires and save the lives of others, and have therefore earned the great trust and expectations of the people. 

I would like to close my congratulatory remarks by requesting all related persons to further work to ensure that we continue to have a fire service that can protect the lives, safety, and property of the people in every kind of disaster.”