Earthquake Disaster Countermeasures in Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Located just north of Tokyo, in one of the most active seismic zones in Japan, Saitama prefecture has been hit by several destructive earthquakes in the past. Though there has not been any major seismic activity in the last sixty years, the prefecture has developed and become highly urbanized. It has been recognized that there are some weaknesses in newly-developed areas and facilities and that they are vulnerable to future natural disasters, especially earthquakes. Therefore, one of the most important and urgent needs of the prefecture is to have a plan for mitigating earthquake damage that includes measures to be taken before and after disasters.