The World Bank Tokyo Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Hub, in partnership with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) , and with financial support from the Government of Japan and the Government of Canada, will host the EP&R Learning Academy in Tokyo and Sendai from April 20 to 24, 2026.
The Academy is designed as a peer-learning and technical exchange platform for government counterparts and World Bank teams working to strengthen national emergency preparedness systems. It brings together government representatives from 16 World Bank member countries, World Bank operational teams, and Japanese experts to compare institutional models, share operational lessons, and address readiness challenges.
Delivery Mode: In-Person
Location: Tokyo and Sendai, Japan
Dates: April 20–24, 2026
Highlights
The EP&R Learning Academy is a five-day peer-learning and technical exchange platform designed to strengthen national capacities for emergency preparedness and response. The event features Japanese experts together with government representatives from civil protection and disaster management agencies, line ministries, and ministries of finance from 16 World Bank member countries who are preparing or implementing EP&R operations. It focuses on sharing Japan's extensive expertise while supporting participating countries in assessing their current systems, identifying gaps and ways to strengthen capacities and improving policy frameworks to create an enabling environment. By the end of the week, the participants will develop practical action plans that will be implemented and monitored at regular intervals after the training. The agenda progresses from global perspectives and foundational preparedness assessments toward increasingly practical and context-specific learning, combining interactive sessions, simulation exercises, and field observations throughout.
This event is by invitation only.
Organizer:
Tokyo DRM Hub, part of the World Bank’s global partnership GFDRR
Co-organizer:
International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University
Collaborating Organizations: Sendai City Bureau of Disaster-Resilient and Environmental City Promotion Office, Comprehensive Policy Planning Bureau; Disaster Management Training Center (DMTC), IIS, The University of Tokyo; and others.
1. EP&R Capacity Diagnostics, Baselines, and Country Action Planning.
The Academy discusses World Bank EP&R capacity assessment tools, including R2R, CPGA, and LLE, to help delegations map their country's preparedness baseline. These tools are designed to help countries to identify gaps and opportunities to improve EP&R systems. Community-centered and inclusive EP&R approaches are integrated into these diagnostics. Delegations then translate the Academy's learning into forward-looking, country-specific action plans, which are presented and peer-reviewed by fellow participants.
2. Emergency Coordination, Simulation, and Search and Rescue:
The Academy addresses EOC design and operationalization through a tabletop exercise, followed by a field visit to the Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park to observe command centers in practice. A presentation by Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) covers Search and Rescue needs, requirements, and country participation. Multi-hazard simulations led by the University of Tokyo examine how legal mandates, institutional roles, and coordination mechanisms hold up under pressure. The Sendai City dialogue shares a municipal perspective on local DRM plans, disaster operation frameworks, evacuation orders, and mutual support agreements.
3. Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (EWS):
The Academy covers institutional frameworks for multi-hazard EWS, Japan's shared information platform for disaster management, and the transition from early warning to emergency response. Inclusive approaches to warning communication are explored alongside technical sessions on tsunami warning modelling and emerging hazards such as the lessons drawn from the 2025 Ofunato City wildfire. Presentations by innovative Japanese firms showcase technology-driven private sector solutions that enhance early warning, situational awareness, and emergency response capabilities.
4. World Bank Support to Crisis Preparedness and Disaster Risk Financing
The Academy includes a technical session on the World Bank crisis preparedness and response instruments to support disaster response through the Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit (CPRT). The CPRT is a structured suite of financing instruments, operational tools, and advisory support that helps countries prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises more quickly and effectively. It enables faster access to resources, flexible use of existing portfolios, and a shift from ad hoc emergency response to institutionalized crisis readiness.
Relevant Resources
Watch the Emergency Preparedness and Response videos playlist on YouTube