Abstract
In the 30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, Japan has renewed its legal
system and administrative organization for disaster management based on experiences and
lessons learned from major disasters. After the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, the
government focused on speeding up the initial response, improving support for affected people,
and reconstruction to cope with urban-type disasters. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in
2011, the government focused on special reconstruction systems, building national resilience,
and promoting public-private partnership to cover the limitations of public assistance. In recent
years, the government has also been enhancing attentive support for various vulnerable groups,
such as women, children, older people, and people with disabilities.
