Photo/Illutration Ryosei Akazawa, the minister in charge of preparations for establishing the Disaster Management Agency, addresses an advisory panel to discuss the new agency on Jan. 30 in Tokyo. (Doni Tani)

A government advisory panel dedicated to establishing a Disaster Management Agency that will explore ways to improve the nation’s disaster preparedness and responses held its first meeting on Jan. 30.

The panel is comprised of 20 experts in disaster management and representatives from volunteer organizations.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has pledged to establish the agency, his signature project, by fiscal 2026.

The panel will focus on improving support for evacuees, strengthening cooperation between the government and private sector, enhancing disaster education and leveraging digital technology.

“We need to thoroughly enhance the disaster management capabilities of our entire country,” said Ryosei Akazawa, the minister in charge of the project, at the meeting.

“We are here to discuss the most effective organizational structure to achieve this,” he said.

The panel will be chaired by Nobuo Fukuwa, a professor emeritus at Nagoya University, who specializes in disaster management.

The panel’s advice and proposals will be included in the government’s key fiscal and economic policy outline, which will be released in the summer.

Currently, the Cabinet Office’s disaster management team consists of only about 110 staff members, many of whom are on loan from other government offices and stay just a few years.

This staffing mode has been criticized for hindering the development of specialized personnel.

In preparation for the new agency, the government will double the team’s staff to 220 in the next fiscal year and has proposed doubling its budget to 14.6 billion yen ($94.6 million) for fiscal 2025, starting in April.

The panel is expected to discuss the agency’s powers, location and whether to establish local branches.

Akazawa previously suggested that the new agency should have strong authority, with other parties required to follow its instructions.

In his policy speech on Jan. 24, Ishiba committed to relocating some government offices from Tokyo to other parts of the country as part of his efforts to strengthen regional economies and local communities.

This could involve placing key offices of the new disaster agency outside the capital.

Officials from regions that have faced major disasters, such as Ishikawa Prefecture and the Kansai area, have shown interest in the proposal.

However, there are concerns that establishing a crisis management center separate from the prime minister’s office in Tokyo could disrupt operations and hinder disaster response efforts.

Given this, the panel will focus on determining the ideal locations and developing the most effective operational procedures for the new agency.