Operational readiness across response agencies is a growing focus of disaster risk management efforts supported by the World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), a global partnership managed by the World Bank.
Effective disaster response depends not only on emergency services, but on clearly defined institutional roles, coordinated systems, and public trust. In Japan, the police are formally designated as a response agency under the Basic Act on Disaster Management and have consistently delivered strong results in major crises. Three principles underpin this readiness, offering practical insights that may be relevant in other contexts.
Clear Roles and Strong Foundations
When disaster strikes, the first question is who moves first, and under what operating logic. The Japanese disaster management system assigns police six clearly defined roles, set out in government plans: traffic control, crime control, crime prevention, disaster victim identification, damage information gathering, and search and rescue.
When an emergency occurs, the police act immediately under these roles. The Prime Minister’s Office then consolidates reports from the National Police Agency and other ministries and, when necessary, provides strategic guidance. During the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, for example, it directed the police to install temporary security cameras in affected communities to help residents feel safer.
Anticipating communication breakdowns, Japanese police maintain an independent radio network that remains operational during major emergencies. When the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake disrupted commercial telecommunications, the network ensured continuous information flow among field units, the National Police Agency, and the Prime Minister’s Office. Reinforcement units from other regions can join quickly by tuning to the same channel, enabling rapid and coordinated disaster response.
Equally important is public trust. Even with advanced systems and clear protocols, disaster response relies on cooperation from local communities. Japanese police strengthen trust well before a disaster by sharing information openly, convening Police Station Councils where residents can voice concerns, and maintaining kōban (local police boxes) that keep officers visible and accessible in their communities. These everyday efforts help build trust and support cooperation during crises.
For countries strengthening disaster risk management systems, advance role clarity, coordinated communication systems, and sustained investment in public trust can significantly reduce response delays.
Strong Partnerships in Times of Need
During major disasters, budgets and staffing are often insufficient to meet operational demand. In affected areas, prefectural police may face personnel shortages, especially when officers and their families are also impacted.
Japan has established a nationwide support network that enables prefectural police forces to assist one another across jurisdictions. Each of the 47 prefectural police departments regularly shares information on deployable officers, vehicles, and specialized units, creating a shared operational picture that speed mobilization. A culture of readiness reinforces this system: unaffected prefectures often begin preparing support arrangements even before formal requests are made.
Limited budgets can also constrain equipment inventories. To address these gaps, Japanese police have built public-private partnerships. In Toyama Prefecture, for example, a local recycling company provides heavy machinery and trained operators during large-scale disasters and participates in joint training exercises with the police to ensure smooth coordination.
Police have also established systems to support officers on the front lines. The Police Officer Support Unit provides essentials such as food, water, and lodging. Pre-arranged agreements with hotels and public facilities help ensure accommodation is available as soon as support units arrive. In 2025, for example, the Shimane Prefectural Police concluded an agreement with the local hotel association to secure immediate lodging for incoming officers from other regions.
Establishing pre-arranged mutual aid agreements and partnerships with the private sector can help countries address resource constraints without permanently expanding budgets.
Learning from Every Disaster
The resilience of Japanese police reflects decades of institutional learning. After each major disaster, they review their response, examining what worked, what fell short, and how lessons can be translated into operational improvements.
For example, following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, the National Police Agency introduced steps to address false rescue requests circulating on social media and established a permanent unit responsible for installing temporary security cameras in disaster-affected areas. This continuous cycle of learning and adaptation helps sustain a robust response system.
Embedding structured post-disaster reviews into institutional practice allows response agencies to evolve continuously, rather than reform only after major failures.
Japan’s experience demonstrates that effective disaster response is built long before a disaster occurs—through clear mandates, coordinated systems, mutual support networks, and a culture of continuous learning. While institutional structures differ across countries, these underlying principles can help strengthen disaster risk management systems worldwide. These principles are closely aligned with work supported by the World Bank and GFDRR to strengthen institutional capacity, coordination mechanisms, and operational readiness across disaster management agencies.
This blog was prepared by Hiroaki Ino, a Harvard Kennedy School student, of the National Police Agency, based on his experience as an intern with the Emergency Preparedness and Response team at the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) from July to August 2025. It is not work of a World Bank Group employee and should not be interpreted as a product of the Bank Group.
