Bosai is a Japanese concept that encompasses all stages of disaster management — from preparedness and risk mitigation to response, recovery and reconstruction. Japan’s unique mix of topography, geology and weather makes it prone to violent acts of nature, from earthquakes and typhoons to torrential rain and tsunami. Each has shaped its approach to bosai, making preparedness a part of everyday life.
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As of January, Japan had more than 4 million foreign residents and an ongoing influx of tourists. Language barriers can make it difficult for these people to obtain crucial information when they are unfamiliar with Japan’s emergency announcements and disaster response system. This makes them saigai jakusha (people who are vulnerable during disasters).
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These cases show that disaster preparedness is not simply about physical infrastructure. Effective communication, cultural awareness and accessible information are equally important. Lessons from past disasters have since prompted Japan to strengthen its preparation with greater attention to the needs of residents from increasingly diverse backgrounds.
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Alongside these communication-focused efforts, disaster measures have advanced at the institutional level, reflecting decades of hard-earned experience that turned Japan into a world leader in disaster preparedness.
In 2022, the metropolitan government launched the Tokyo Resilience Project, a long-term initiative intended to prepare the capital for multiple risks over the coming decades. Aside from temblors, the project addresses a range of hazards including storms, floods, volcanic eruptions, power and communications outages and infectious diseases.
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