Kazuhisa Nagahashi, Vice-Minister for Disaster Management, detailed the strategic objectives of the proposed Disaster Management Agency in an interview on March 9. The initiative aims to centralize Japan's disaster administration by creating a "dual command center" capable of overseeing both exhaustive pre-disaster mitigation and long-term recovery and reconstruction.

The Japanese government finalized the bill for the agency's establishment and related legislative amendments during a Cabinet meeting on March 6, targeting an official launch within the current year. The move comes as Japan approaches the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and faces increasing risks from projected large-scale events, such as the Nankai Trough and Tokyo Metropolitan earthquakes.

"The Disaster Management Agency is being created to ensure that all necessary measures are executed thoroughly," Nagahashi stated. "It is essential to minimize damage; we are here to implement pre-disaster mitigation with absolute rigor."

The establishment of the agency represents a significant structural overhaul of Japan’s administrative framework. Operating directly under the Cabinet, the agency will be tasked with monitoring regional conditions in detail while maintaining a bird's-eye view of various government ministries. Notably, the agency will possess "recommendation powers," a legal authority that other ministries are required to respect.

Nagahashi emphasized that the agency will address critical bottlenecks in disaster-affected areas, including:
-The chronic shortage of technical personnel and disaster management specialists in local governments.
-Challenges in post-disaster reconstruction, such as failed bidding processes for public works.
-Issues regarding the transparency and clarification of reconstruction costs.

Proposed amendments to the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act will mandate pre-disaster mitigation based on scientific risk assessments and the assurance of favorable living environments. These legal changes are expected to enhance the sophistication and reach of disaster-related policies across the nation.

The plan also includes the establishment of regional bureaus, a move requested by the National Governors' Association. "The role of these regional offices is to enhance the disaster management capabilities of basic municipalities," Nagahashi said. "We intend to take a more proactive, hands-on approach to local support." (2026/03/10)