TOKYO: Japan would organize a five-day Third UN World Conference on disaster risk reduction here from March 14.
This was stated here by a senior official of the Cabinet office of the government of Japan while briefing the visiting media representatives to Japan from sixteen different development countries including Pakistan.
The Journalists from Indonesia, Thailand, Phillipne, Vietnam, Mayamar, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Peru, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Iran were participating at the two-week progarmme at the invitation of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which started here from February 16.
The main objective of the program was to familiarize the financial activities and projects initiated by the JICA in different countries and share disaster management utilizing Japanese experience for building disaster resilient societies in developing countries.
Highlighting the objectives of the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, the official said that more than 5,000 experts in the field of Disaster reduction management would participates besides attending by 40,000 visitors.
The official further said that during the conference the participants would review the implementation of HFA and adopt ion of a post -2015 framework (HF2).
The official said that Japan has a comprehensive disaster management plan including risk reduction.
The official said that the number of earthquakes with magnitude of 6.0 or greater occurred in Japan was 18.3 percent compared to 81.3 percent of the total worlds earthquakes.
The official further said that after World War II ,the biggest earthquakes had caused huge economic and human losses to Japan. Highlighting progress in laws and systems in disaster management acts since 1959, the official said that after typhoon Ise-Wan in Japan in 1961 Disaster countermeasures basic act (DCBA) was introduced.
The official said that after Nigata earthquake 1961, Act of earthquake insurance, in 1978 Miyagi-Ken Oki earthquake Amendment of building standard law was inacted in 1981, while Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake 0f 1995,amemdment of DBA and Act of promotion of earthquake proof retrofit of buildings was introduced.
Similarly , the official said that after Great East Japan Earthquake 2011,Tsumani resident city development act was inacted while in 2012 amendment of DCBA and further amendment in DCBA were made in 2013.
The official further told the participating journalists that Great east japan earthquake 2011 has caused 21,377 casulties while the number of collapsed and half collapsed buildings were 1,158,707.
The official said that Japan has learnt from these disasters and wanted to share it with other countries for disaster risk reduction.
Meanwhile a JICA representative on Disaster risk management said that around 90 perent of victims were citizens of the developing countries. He said that according to UNISDR, US $ 1.68 Trillion in economic losses due to major intensive global disasters from 2001-2011.
He added that according to UNISDR around (one) 1 million people died , 3 billion people were affected due to natural disasters after year 2000.
He said that having increase of natural disaster, Disaster risk reduction was inevitable not only to save human lives but to realize sustainable development and resilient society in the world.
He was of the view that US $ 0ne (1) investment in dister risk reduction saves US $ seven (7) in recovery efforts.
He urged the countries and their governments around the world for allocation of funds for diaster risk reduction as Japanese government had spent 5 percent of state budget to this sector from 1960 to 1970.
He added that natural disasters might affect the achievement of Millinumn Development Goals (MDGs).
He added that natural disters may directly affect to human life and Disaster risk reduction contributes to the realization of human security in the developing countries.
Later the participants of the JICA training programme visited the local Honjo Bosaikan ,Life safety learning center in the Tokyo Fire department and also participated in drill for disaster preparedness after a disaster.
Bosaikan (life safety center ) is a facility that enables everyone in Tokyo to experience simulated disasters thereby increasing their disaster knowledge and showing them what to do in case of an emergency.
The high technology disaster simulators make someone feel if they were in the middle of an earthquake , a storm , a fire or smoke.
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