Narrow Results

This chapter uses the Japan National Report on Disaster Reduction to the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (Kobe, Japan) in 2005 and the National Progress Report on the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) (2011–2013) premised on the HFA priority areas format to assess the status of DRR capacity in Japan. The assessment was conducted using components such as institutional arrangements, leadership, knowledge, and accountability: aspects drawn from the UNDP capacity assessment framework. The overall result showed a high DRR capacity. To examine this baseline capacity against a real disaster, a capacity gap assessment was done on the Great East Japan Earthquake with a focus on the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Several institutional, leadership, knowledge, accountability, psycho-socio-cultural and other gaps were identified. For a more effective future DRR response, the chapter then formulates and assembles a generic, systematic DRR capacity assessment framework factoring in the Basic Act for National Resilience, enacted two years after the Great East Japan Earthquake.