'Is a War Really Breaking Out?' ... Japan Even Prepares a Sample of "Three Days' Worth of Food"

War Scare Ahead of Launch of Japan's Disaster Management Agency

Strengthening Disaster Response Systems to Prepare for Major Earthquakes
Targeting 2 Trillion Yen in Overseas Disaster-Prevention Industry Sales by 2030

Japan, where natural disasters such as earthquakes are frequent, will launch a Disaster Management Agency on November 2 to oversee disaster response and lead the development of the disaster preparedness industry.

A three-day supply of emergency food on display at a disaster preparedness facility in Izumiotsu, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The Japanese government’s announcement that it plans to ask people to stockpile food, water and other supplies in preparation for a major disaster has raised concerns that war or a disaster may be imminent. Izumiotsu City website.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) and other media on November 1, the Japanese government will upgrade the disaster management department in the Cabinet Office and establish the new agency. The Disaster Management Agency will oversee disaster response policies and serve as the command center directing ministries and local governments. The prime minister will head the agency, while Reconstruction Minister Koshi Hosono will also serve as disaster management minister.

The agency plans to advance disaster forecasting technology and identify risk factors in advance to prepare for major disasters, including a massive Nankai Trough earthquake and a major earthquake directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Japan earthquake. Korea Meteorological Administration

The agency will also promote the commercialization of disaster preparedness technologies. The Japanese government has set a goal of increasing overseas sales in the disaster preparedness sector from 1 trillion yen (approximately KRW 8.46 trillion) in 2024 to 2 trillion yen in 2030. The agency's budget request for fiscal 2027 is 65.2 billion yen (approximately KRW 550 billion), with more than 30% allocated to industrial development.

Meanwhile, controversy arose ahead of the agency's launch over the "urgent appeal to the public" that Disaster Management Minister Hosono had announced. Concerns spread that war or a major disaster might be imminent after reports emerged that people would be asked to prepare at least three days' to a week's worth of water and food, as well as emergency toilets.

At a press conference on October 30, Hosono said, "There is no information predicting a war or disaster," explaining that the appeal was intended to encourage people to prepare for major disasters that could occur in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.