Japan's Diet passes revisions to disaster management law
Japan's Diet has passed revisions to the country's law on disaster management to bolster preparedness.
A package of six amendments was passed by the Upper House on Wednesday, based on lessons learned from the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake and other events.
Local governments will be required annually to make public the status of their stocks of contingency supplies, such as food and portable toilets.
Other measures include creating a system for advance registration of volunteer groups, promoting cooperation between volunteers and local governments, and covering expenses of volunteer activities.
The revisions widen welfare support for affected elderly people and those with disabilities living in evacuation centers or in their homes or vehicles. Officials will be allowed to provide welfare services for babies and others needing special care, regardless of location.
The changes also allow contractors to enter private properties to restore water distribution networks during disasters. This comes after a prolonged delay in repairing damaged water pipes after the Noto quake.
The government plans to proceed with campaigns to spread awareness about the amendments among local officials and volunteer groups.
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