Japan has been facing with natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic disasters, flood damages etc. and there is an urgent need to comprehensively work on its national resilience which covers preliminary disaster prevention and disaster reduction, mitigation, renewal of infrastructures and raising citizens awareness. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, there has been a rise in the awareness of disaster prevention and an increase need for countermeasures for preliminary disaster prevention and disaster reduction in local public municipalities, industries and lifeline agencies utilizing the lessons learned from the disaster.

From August 27 to 28, 2016, at the University of Tokyo, the Cabinet Office, Disaster Prevention Promotion Council and the Disaster Prevention Promote National Conference held the first national disaster prevention promotion which was participated by the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU). The day’s activity consisted of two events, a workshop (exhibition) and a panel discussion. JCCU exhibition stand raised a platform for both adults and children to learn about the making of necessary goods in case of emergency and listened to Co-op nationwide disaster relief effort during the Kumamoto earthquake and a video introduction of Miyagi Co-op’s gathering to remember the Great East Japan Earthquake.

A panel discussion was also held under the theme “Support of companies and the cooperation with local governments” in which AOTAKE Yutaka, Operating Officer of JCCU took part as one of the panelists. He reported on co-ops effort during a large scale disaster, the various relief activities, the supply of essential goods and fund donation.