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Annual comprehensive disaster prevention drills for 2012 were held on September 1, Japan's National Disaster Prevention Day. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda took part in the drills together with all Cabinet members.

This year, the drills were conducted based on a scenario in which a metropolitan earthquake occurred at 7:00 a.m., with a magnitude of 7.3, a maximum seismic intensity of 6-upper, and its epicenter in the northern Tokyo Bay, affecting a wide area around Tokyo.

Along with the exercise of confirming the safety of the Cabinet members, the drills involved the operation of the government headquarters at the Prime Minister's Office, which is in charge of ensuring the implementation of emergency measures for earthquake disasters, among other tasks. After convening the first meeting of the Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters, the Prime Minister held a press conference to announce the establishment of the Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters and the Government's response policy, and to give a message to the people.
Following this, Mr. Masaharu Nakagawa, Minister of State for Disaster Management, talked to the press about the details of the Government's response policy.
Subsequently, the second meeting of the Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters was held to confirm the status of the launch of the priority businesses upon emergency based on the business continuity plans laid down by the ministries and agencies and to take other actions.

The Prime Minister then led a government inspection team and arrived by Self-Defense Forces (SDF) helicopter at the venue for the joint disaster prevention drills held in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, by the nine municipalities in the Kanto region, and observed training sessions for rescuing victims, supplying water, offering meals, and other activities carried out by the organizations related to disaster prevention.
At the closing ceremony after the drills, the Prime Minister said in his address, "The Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, caused tremendous damage to an exceedingly wide area of our country, mainly in the Tohoku region. The biggest lesson learned from this event is the importance of being well-prepared for a disaster that exceeds the scope of our assumptions.
Just recently, it has been revealed anew that the possible occurrence of a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough could cause far more devastating damage beyond the estimations made heretofore.
There is also concern that a metropolitan earthquake might hit the Kanto region in the near future.
Should such a giant earthquake actually happen, we will not be able to make any excuse that it was beyond our assumptions.
In order to be prepared for an unexpected disaster and minimize the damage if and when it actually occurs, each and every one of the people of our country must be aware of the necessity for preparation and take preparatory measures for themselves.
I hope that people in each community will participate in practical disaster drills regularly in cooperation with the related organizations so as to increase their disaster preparedness.
The government will also promote various measures vigorously, with the aim of making Japan a disaster resilient nation."