Learning from Japan's Ordeal

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 earthquake shook the east coast of Japan. A series of aftershocks triggered a massive tsunami along the Pacific coastline of eastern Japan. High surges of 33-66 feet (10-20 meters) caused catastrophic damage in cities in the Tohoku region of the country. This paper describes the response of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) to the disaster, and highlights lessons learned from this experience. Although the office building of the Tohoku Regional Bureau of the MLIT was unusable following the earthquake, the Ministry was still able to initiate a quick response, due to strategic emergency planning before the event combined with creative problem solving during the crisis. On the first night after the disaster, the director general ordered that collecting information, establishing routes for rescue and the transport of supplies, and supporting the prefectural and local governments were to be the top priorities. The bureau was able to quickly clear and reopen routes, which was critical for evacuation and emergency response operations. Tight seismic structural standards that had been implemented following a 1995 earthquake ensured that bridges were not damaged by seismic motion and remained in service. Many aspects of MLIT's initial response to this disaster can serve as lessons for the future, including the importance of a unified organization and mission; securing of communications systems; collaboration with related organizations; bridge retrofitting; nationwide organization; and collaboration with the private sector. Overall, this lesson emerged from this disaster: measures prepared and put in place in advance proved to be the most effective. By reflecting on the lessons learned, the bureau hopes to determine measures to mitigate future possible damage in the Tohoku region, which has repeatedly endured catastrophic disasters.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/12mayjune/04.cfm
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
• Authors:
  • Tokuyama, Hideo
• Publication Date: 2012-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: pp 24-32
• Serial:
  • Public Roads
  • Volume: 75
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
  • ISSN: 0033-3735
  • Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Disaster preparedness; Disaster relief; Disasters and emergency operations; Earthquakes; Lessons learned; Tsunamis
• Identifier Terms: Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism; Tohoku Earthquake (Japan), March 11, 2011
• Geographic Terms: Tohoku Region (Japan)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Security and Emergencies; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01375757
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 18 2012 4:12PM