“To ensure prevention and to mitigate the damage to lives and properties caused by natural disasters, Asian countries need to focus on practical knowledge or devices to build disaster resilient communities,” said Kiyoshi Natori, Executive Director of the Kobe-based Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) as reported by China Daily.
Natori advocates the importance of education in disaster risk reduction. ADRC promotes networks and collaboration on disaster preparedness as well as post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes in Asia. The center hosts researchers from the ASEAN member countries for a period of 4 months each year to exchange information on disaster prevention, inform them of the framework and policy of disaster prevention in Japan, and promote understanding of international cooperation in disaster prevention and ultimately mitigation.