Japanese Support System of Crisis Management Services

• NCJ Number: 238680
• Journal: Internal Security Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: January - June 2011 Pages: 107-127
• Author(s): Grzegorz Gudzbeler; Mariusz Nepelski; Anderzej Urban
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Poland

Annotation

The article presents an outline of Japanese crisis management system. It describes research conducted by Japanese institutions related to disaster management, and discusses information and decision support systems.

Abstract

Intensification of threats in recent years in Poland has exposed many imperfections in the system of disaster management at many levels - national, regional, and, most importantly, local. Lack of integration of IT systems of institutions responsible for crisis management has often led to information chaos and inability to perform basic tasks in this area. In crisis situations which occur in Poland - that is disasters with catastrophic consequences - there exists a real risk of failure to perform required operations. The article presents an outline of Japanese crisis management system. It describes research conducted by Japanese institutions related to disaster management, and discusses information and decision support systems. The article focuses on mutual integration of such systems and data flow among institutions and parties involved in the preparation, response and dealing with consequences of crisis situations. It also presents principles of operation of the Metropolitan Disaster Research Center, which conducts research and works as a crisis management center for the city of Tokyo. The authors presented four institutions which are vital for the Japanese system: JAMSTEC, NIED, E-Defense, and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Research Center. Technical and technological solutions existing in the above institutions may be a model for systems built in Poland and the world, especially since the whole system has recently undergone a serious test as a result of the disaster that struck Japan on the 11th of March 2011. The test that, according to many observers, proved that Japanese system of disaster management can be given the highest rating. (Published Abstract)