On January 1, 2024, a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 hit the Noto peninsula located north of Honshu, Japan’s main island. The Noto Earthquake was followed by a tragic incident on a Japan Airlines flight that collided with a Japan Coast Guard plane on the runway at the Haneda Airport. The estimated death toll of these incidents is under 100. This number is much less compared to the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that killed approximately 20,000. The drastic decrease in casualties credits not only the improved governmental disaster response but also sheds light on the role of the Japanese civil society in disaster relief. 

According to Robert Pekkanen, civil society is defined as an organized sector of society that consists of voluntary groups and groups that are organized with non-profit missions, such as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and nonprofit organizations (NPOS). The Japanese civil society’s effectiveness in disaster relief activities first stood out to the government in the aftermath of Kobe Earthquake in 1995, when volunteers and civil society responded quicker than the government. Immediately after the earthquake, about 1.3 million individual Japanese and dozens of NGOs arrived at the scene to help with rescue operations. Recognizing the importance of empowering its civil society, the Japanese government has been empowering its civil society through legislative and policy amendments since 1995. Examples include the 1995 Disaster Basic Act that not only requires the government to submit an annual white paper on natural disaster to the Parliament to be published to the public but also welcomes civil society in drafting of crisis management. Such amendments portray the government’s increasing recognition of the importance of civil society in disaster relief and show the evolution of a stronger Japanese civil society. The policy amendments between the 1995 Kobe Earthquake and the 2011 Fukushima Earthquake have drastically improved the performance of NGOs, and effectiveness of their disaster relief efforts. The number of UN-recognized NGOs, their size, their organization, and the number of volunteers, all have increased under the government’s increasing endorsement of the civil society’s role in disaster management. UN recognition is especially significant for these NGOs as it not only strengthens the NGO’s capacity for influence but also the capacity to work independently and challenge current governmental policies. Peace Boat is an example of a Japan-based international NGO that is under special consultative status granted by the Environmental and Social Council (ECOSOC) Committee on NGOs of the UN . 

The prompt disaster management in the Noto Earthquake reflects the evolution of a stronger civil society as a result of the policy amendments. Examples include the  Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCR), a scientific NPO of civil engineering based in Japan, established emergency headquarters in its office immediately after the disaster. It has since been using its professional human capital to gather data on the degree of damage to aid relief efforts. The Japanese Red Cross Society’s (JRCS) published report, documenting specific statistics and relief efforts related to the disaster, also presents positive feedback from victims. For instance, one victim was reported saying that “It is amazing that not only cold but also hot water is now supplied…. I really appreciate the assistance from the JRCS”. 

Japan’s disaster preparedness involving its civil society has also gained international recognition as having one of the world’s best disaster management and set an example for other countries to adopt. According to Flavia Rodriguez Grantier from Bolivia’s Ministry of Public Works, Japan’s disaster management has prompted her to reflect on possible challenges and opportunities in disaster management back home. As Rodriguez Grantier said,“This experience made me think about …our degree of preparedness and response to disasters, and the challenges…. I now realize how important is to work towards addressing these issues.”

The role of Japanese civil society in disaster management is too important to overlook given the government’s increasing endorsement and its proven success in disaster relief. The civil society’s ability to not only collect useful disaster information but also mobilize quickly in emergencies is the core of its success so far. The significant and positive role that the Japanese civil society plays in disaster relief can serve as a useful case study for countries that are prone to natural disasters.