Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� May, 2003

Seventh Central Disaster Prevention Council Thursday, May 29, 2003 The seventh Central Disaster Prevention Council was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. At the meeting, the Council approved the "Guidelines for Tokai Earthquake and Disaster Prevention Measures," the basic plan of measures to be taken for Tokai earthquake, based on the report from the Expert Committee on Tokai Earthquake. In regard to the holding of the United Nations World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction (tentative name) in Hyogo Prefecture to commemorate 10th anniversary of the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster in January 2005, the Council decided in advance of Cabinet approval on a basic policy to hold the conference. The Council also decided to establish new expert investigation committees, including a committee to study a wide-area disaster prevention plan for the southern Kanto area and a committee to study natural disaster countermeasures that harness the capacities of the private sector and the market. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi who stood to make his opening remarks, referred to the earthquake of May 26 that was centered in the waters off Miyagi Prefecture and said, "We may not avoid any outbreaks of natural disasters, but are able to reduce the damage by prior preventative measures" to emphasize the importance of disaster prevention measures.