Japan: Tokyo’s disaster prevention manual enjoys extraordinary popularity

A manual for disaster prevention that the Tokyo metropolitan government began distributing to all Tokyo households in September is getting a wide range of favourable responses, not only from Tokyo residents, but also people living in neighbouring prefectures, reports the Japan News.

Some municipalities affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake also have inquired about the publication, including Sendai. Takehiko Yamamura, the head of the Disaster Prevention System Institute who is an expert on disaster prevention and crisis management, has a high opinion of the manual. “It covers almost all the types of disasters and is a ground-breaking book that can lead to the improvement of disaster awareness.”