ePreparedness in Japan and Asia CIO for Disaster Management

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ePreparedness in Japan and AsiaCIO for
Disaster Management

• Prof. Toshio OBI
• Director, APEC e-Government Research Center
• Iwasaki Naoko
• Waseda University

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Agenda
Disaster Damage in Japan and Asia Pacific
Japan Disaster Management System
Disaster Preparedness
ICT for Education and Disaster Preparedness
Case Study e-Municipality for Disaster Relief in
Yokosuka City
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Disasters
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Disaster Damage in Japan and Asia-Pacific

• Asia-Pacific is among the most disaster prone
  regions in the world
  
• From 1990 till 2003 US 380 billion and about
  6.8 million people. For example
  
• The 1995 Kobe earthquake killed more than 6,400
  people plus 85 billion US worth of destructions.
  
  
• In 1997, floods alone caused US 7.23 billion
  worth of damages in seven countries.
  
• In Dec 2004, the killer tsunami in the Indian
  Ocean has killed more than 300,000 people.
  
• Source http//stdev.unctad.org/unsystem/cstd/esca
  p8.doc

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Scale of DevastationSevere Earthquakes
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Japan Disaster Management System
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Japan Disaster Management System

• Central Disaster Prevention Council
• Chaired by the Prime Minister
• The entire cabinet, heads of institutions and
  experts
  
• The primary role
• Basic Disaster Management Plan
• Plans for emergency measures in the event of a
  disaster
  
• Disaster preparedness (basic policies, overall
  coordination and others)
  
• Full report concerning disaster management
• Source http//www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/policy/ind
  ex/bousai/index_e.html

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Japan Disaster Management System

• Disaster Management Councils at prefectural and
  municipal level
  
• Disaster management plans adapted to their
  jurisdictions.
  
• Municipalities also carryout daily activities
  pertaining to disaster preparedness
  
• Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act of 1961
• Defines the jurisdictions and responsibilities
  for all areas pertaining to disaster management

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Cycle of Disaster Management
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Cycle of Disaster Management

• Mitigation
• Measures to minimize the impact of disaster

• Preparedness
• Pre-disaster actions to avert loss of life
  property

• Response
• Inter-agency concerted efforts to provide
  emergency assistance to victims of calamities

• Rehabilitation
• Activities to supply immediate basic provisions
  to affected communities

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Disaster Preparedness

• Disaster preparedness
• Minimizes the adverse effects of a hazard
• Through effective precautionary actions
• To ensure timely appropriate and effective
  delivery of relief
  
• Disaster preparedness must be seen as an active,
  on-going process
  
• The framework outlines the essential activities
• Source Disaster Preparedness, Randolph Kent,
  DHA, 1994

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Disaster Preparedness for CIO
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E-Preparedness
CIO
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E-Preparedness

• Vulnerability Assessment
• Critical for disaster preparedness because
• It establishes a data base towards understanding
  the levels of potential threats, needs and
  immediately available resources
  
• Then, information is sent decision-makers to
  design their disaster management plan
  
• The data collection can be structured by ICT

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E-Preparedness

• Reliable information system
• The coordination of all different information
  sources to have an effective preparedness plan
  
• Therefore, there is a need to have clear-cut
  guidelines, reporting formats and mechanisms as
  well as established reporting procedures
  
• And it is essential to link the disaster
  preparedness focal point to the inter-ministerial
  committee and to exchange information among
  agencies
• These requirements can be ensured by ICT

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E-Preparedness

• Warning system
• Preparedness plans should consider what type of
  communications equipment will be needed... And
  
• Should include provisions for access to
  alternative communication systems
  
• Whenever possible, the international community
  should be forewarned about hazards
  
• The appropriate warning information system can be
  improved by advanced ICT technology

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E-Preparedness
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E-Preparedness

• Hyogo Phoenix Disaster Management System
• Makes use of Internet technology to provide a
  wide range of information such as climate,
  earthquake, and the geography of the region,
  including hazard maps.
• The system enables Hyogo Prefecture to collect,
  process and provide relevant information smoothly
  in the event of disaster.
  
• Source Printed conference material on Disaster
  Management in Hyogo Prefecture (March 5-10, 2007)

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E-Preparedness

• Roles
• An essential part of disaster preparedness is the
  education since the plan will only be effective
  if the ultimate beneficiaries know what to do in
  times of disasters and know what to expect
• Education forms
• Public education in schools
• Special training courses
• Extension programs
• Public information

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E-Preparedness

• Training Methods
• An interactive process of common learning between
  community of people and institutions.
  
• Training cannot be a one-time event. Refresher
  courses are essential.
  
• Training should be active in every way possible.
  
  
• It involves the recognition and use of ICT
• ICT is a crucial means for local communities
  around the world to communicate effectively

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E-Preparedness
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Yokosuka city

• In the top e-Municipality in Japan
• Building the IT Network for the Disaster
  Preparedness
  
• Improvement on Early Warning Mechanisms
• Prompting the communication network for
• Collecting and rearranging information
• Rescuing evacuees and refugees

Survey on Disaster Prevention Management in
Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Pref.
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Case Study Yokosuka city

• Questions
• Which information is most necessary for you in
  case of severe typhoon, earthquake, terrorism
  attack or new type of multiple disaster
  
• Which tool will you use to collect necessary
  information in case of following severe
  disasters?
  
• Results
• Especially, they requires information on the
  location of refugees, the scale of disaster
  
• There is great demand on using mobile phone

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Yokosuka City Navi
Among various information services provided on
Yokosuka City Website, Yokosuka City Navi is
one of the information delivery service to mobile
phones via internet, which offers carefully
selected and popular information.
As for the contents, there are tourist
information, information for various
administrative procedures, or updates on daily
events and so on.
Facility information
With a precise map
Especially, MapLocation Information Service
for Mobile Phonesis quite unique and convenient
that it provides not only the address or TEL
number of public facilities in the city but also
the map and how to access the location.
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Providing care for the aged and the physically
handicapped

• Currently, Yokosuka City has no system in place
  to provide care for the aged and the physically
  handicapped except volunteer neighborhood groups.
  
• Privacy policy prevents the city from making maps
  to identify the location of the aged and the
  physically handicapped.

Municipal offices must make maps showing the
location of aged and the physically handicapped
persons respecting the privacy of said persons.
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CIO in Companies
CIO and IT Staff

• Only 19 of companies in Yokosuka City have
  designated CIOs. Their most expected role is to
  increase the efficiency of operation.

IT Staff Training
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8 Issues and 4 Key Statementsfor Disaster
Reduction by e-Municipality
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Conclusion
The government should develop the effective
disaster preparedness plans by CIO
Technology is only a tool. The real challenge
lies on the people
Disaster education can be improved by harnessing
ICT technology such as distance learning, video
conferences or websites.
Disaster monitoring systems and devices have
increasingly been vital and enabled by ICT.
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Thank you very much!!

• Contact Address
• Toshio Obi
• e-mail obi.waseda_at_waseda.jp
• Web http//www.obi.giti.waseda.ac.jp/e_gov/