Photo/Illutration A mobile flush-toilet unit developed for disaster relief operations (Masaki Hashida)

Philip Morris Japan and a coalition of nonprofit organizations launched the country’s first privately led disaster relief network focused on supporting evacuees during emergency shelter life.

The Essential Disaster Assistance Network (EDAN) aims to reduce the physical and mental stress of evacuation living with the ultimate goal of zero post-disaster fatalities.

The initiative was unveiled on Sept. 1, the nation’s Disaster Prevention Day, commemorating the anniversary of the devastating 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

Central to the initiative is a bold new goal called “TKB48”, which stands for delivering "Toilets, Kitchens and Beds" within 48 hours of a disaster hitting an area.

By March 2026, EDAN plans to establish multiple supply bases across Japan, equipped with partitioned cardboard beds, mobile kitchen units, portable toilets and toilet trailers.

This effort was initiated by PMJ under its corporate philosophy of harm reduction and was developed through discussions with the Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (JVOAD). The tobacco giant is providing the primary financial backing for the project.

The motivation behind EDAN lies in a troubling reality: in many major disasters in Japan, indirect fatalities—known as disaster-related deaths—often exceed the number of casualties caused directly by the disaster itself.

These can result from inadequate shelter conditions, poor hygiene, lack of medical support and prolonged stress.

PMJ President Shea Lih Goh emphasized the significance of the project, noting that disaster-related deaths are still preventable and that the company felt a responsibility to respond with both compassion and urgency.

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