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Prime Minister Attends the Commemorative Ceremony for the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Municipal Fire Service Friday, March 7, 2008 JAPANESE

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda attended the Commemorative Ceremony for the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Municipal Fire Service, held in the Nippon Budokan in Kitanomaru Park in Tokyo. Japan's current system for municipal fire service was established under the Fire Organization Law, which entered into force on March 7, 1948, in line with the principle for municipalities to be responsible for ensuring fire and disaster management, and this year marks the 60th year since the establishment of the system. The ceremony, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the system, in the presence of Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress, was held with the purpose for those involved in fire and disaster management and the wider public together to reflect on the history of Japan's fire and disaster management, and of ensuring that the people can live their lives with peace of mind and a sense of security. Prime Minister Fukuda said in his congratulatory remarks, "It is the basic duty of the government to ensure that the people can live their lives with peace of mind and a sense of security, and it is also the foundation for the development of our economy and society. With the aim of zero fatalities in the event of natural disasters, we will advance measures to support the elderly and people with disabilities. I am also determined to build a society in which each and every one of the people can live with peace of mind and a sense of security, by strengthening measures to prevent fire and improving the emergency care system." Afterwards, Prime Minister Fukuda presented the Prime Minister's Commendations to those who had made significant contributions to, and outstanding achievements in, the development of fire and disaster management administration.