General informations
Description
Japan is an archipelago of several thousand islands stretching some 3,000 kilometers from north to south, sitting on the boundaries of multiple tectonic plates. Large differences in elevation between the coastal and mountainous areas create steep terrain and many rapid rivers. Japan is located in one of the world's most seismically active areas and accounts for about 20 percent of the world's large earthquakes as well as about 10 percent of all active volcanoes in the world. Japan has four distinct seasons influenced by monsoon and heavy precipitation especially during the rainy and typhoon seasons. Because of these geographic and climatic features, Japan is prone to frequent typhoons, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis, river flooding, and landslides, which have been causing great damage to society, affecting people's lives and properties since ancient times. At the same time, the high rates of tectonic activity created complex geography and a variety of habitats, which make Japan one of the rare countries in the world rich in scenic beauties and biodiversity. Japanese people have long been cultivating a sense of reverence for nature, which can be both nurturing and destructive, and fostering wisdom and philosophy for adapting to and living in harmony with nature instead of conquering it. Sacred groves with shrines, as well as folklores and place names associated with disaster and < -~~-... • •• , •• ·-~-'UII·-~ ~-r -. ., r-. ., . ,. ..._ r • 'l''ll! i ·.~• . ... -. ..t·~ ·r· . . . , . (' ~ •• rii.. . ..... ~. "" i·'l'f' c,·· · ~ -~ . ~~ ' . .. • .• ' -' ' . ~ .... .J,.-. . . ;. "' .. · .......,..... . . ' -. . . -----------preparedness, are found everywhere in the country. The Japanese also have a tradition of utilizing ecosystems for mitigating disaster, such as by maintaining forests to prevent soil erosion, planting pine trees along the coast to mitigate winds and blown sand, planting bamboo trees along river banks to reduce flooding. and using rice paddies as temporary water reservoirs. However, as nationwide development and social transformation progressed along with the rapid population and economic growth during the postwar and subsequent years, Japan began to lose its biodiversity, as well as reverence for nature and traditional wisdom. In addition, as a result of expanding residential development into disaster-prone areas, substantial additional costs are being incurred for constructing, operating, and maintaining social infrastructure to protect these areas. The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 2011, as well as the major radioactive release caused by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant severe accident, led to tremendous damage to people's livelihood and the surrounding natural environment. This experience reminded us once again that we are not separate from nature, which provides us sustenance but also major perils. We were also made aware of the need for more comprehensive disaster risk reduction strategies in preparation for disasters that surpass our worst -case scenarios, including the review of national land use and management in addition to approaches focusing on artificial structures. In order for us to enjoy safe and affluent living, we must find new ways to live with nature. To this effect. a new concept called "ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR}" is emerging that seeks to reduce disaster risks by harnessing the disaster preventing/mitigating functions of healthy ecosystems. Ecosystem-based regional development programs are spreading worldwide, including Green Infrastructure, an EU strategy aiming to create a network of healthy ecosystems as part of social infrastructure to support people's lives. This handbook introduces some approaches to disaster risk management based on a symbiotic relationship between nature and humanity, and compiles basic information on practical matters for reference.