The large-magnitude earthquake that directly hit the Hanshin-Awaji region on January 17, 1995, caused enormous damage in the Hanshin district and the northern part of Awaji Island. It killed over 6,000 people, destroyed the ground transportation system, port facilities, etc., as well as severed lifelines, such as water supply, electricity, and communications.
JMSA established Earthquake Countermeasures Headquarters at its 5th Regional Maritime Safety Headquarters and its Tokyo Headquarters. It mobilized patrol vessels, craft, aircraft and other essentials (approximately 2,900 vessels and craft, 940 aircraft, and 95,100 Maritime Safety officers) to carry out disaster emergency activities, such transportation of emergency patients, people engaged in relief activities, relief supplies, etc., and provision of lodging facilities for doctors dispatched to the area. It also carried out search and rescue operations, fire-fighting activities in seaside areas, removed objects obstructing sea routes, and restoration efforts.
2. Countermeasures for Natural Disasters
(1) Establishment of Disaster Emergency Readiness
JMSA maintain a 24-hour duty watch, as well as stations patrol vessels, craft, and aircraft nationwide, to be prepared for natural disasters and other emergencies.
JMSA is committed to securing a system for disaster emergency countermeasures when a disaster occurs. This system involves immediate survey of the damage situation and rescue activities using patrol vessels, craft, and aircraft already deployed, and establishment of countermeasures headquarters.
(2) Establishment of Disaster Prevention Bases
In accordance with the 1983 decision of the Central Disaster Prevention Council, disaster preparedness and response related government agencies established the Tachikawa Wide Area Disaster Prevention Base for emergency disaster countermeasures in the event of a disaster affecting a broad area of the south Kanto region. JMSA inaugurated operation of this base in July 1994. Furthermore, the same 1983 decision also provided for the establishment of the Yokohama Disaster Prevention Base, as a base for maritime disaster response activities, when large-scale maritime disasters occur within Tokyo Bay and throughout the Kanto region. JMSA began full-fledged operation of this base in April 1996, and intents to strive to further improve its disaster response equipment and materials
