Japan to Create Public-Private Network on Disaster Relief

From Jiji

May 24 2025

TOKYO – The Japanese government plans to launch a group for exchanges among local governments, companies and nonprofit organizations during ordinary times so that they can collaborate smoothly over disaster relief. 
   It aims to build a network that facilitates cooperation by grasping the human and material resources held by the private sector and NPOs, ahead of the creation of a government agency dedicated to disaster response in fiscal 2026.
   Many companies do not engage in disaster relief programs despite increased interest in the field reflecting their awareness of corporate social responsibility, due to the difficulty of launching such efforts.
   Meanwhile, the central government is unable to harness the power of the private sector as it does not fully know what human and material resources are available.
   While there are organizations such as the National Council for the Promotion of Disaster Prevention, including officials from business and education circles, and a disaster reduction consortium including financial institutions, the government decided to create the new group to increase opportunities for gathering opinions from local communities and those involved in on-the-ground operations.