Japan urges regional cooperation as it unveils Asia-ready disaster technologies
Japan is calling for stronger regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction, presenting a suite of cutting-edge technologies and decades of policy experience to Asian media during an international briefing.
The session highlighted how Japan’s approach—rooted in innovation, community-wide participation and long-term pre-disaster investment—can support Asia’s increasing climate challenges.
Japan’s Shift to Proactive Resilience
Opening the session, Takahito Misumi, Director of Global Communications at the Cabinet Secretariat of Japan, emphasized that Japan’s experience as one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries has shaped its national mindset.
“Japan has transformed disaster prevention from a reactive measure into a proactive driver of sustainable growth,” Misumi said. “Disasters in one country now affect the entire region through global supply chains. Reducing disaster risks in Asia is not someone else’s problem—it is shared security and shared prosperity.”
Misumi noted that Japan continues to enhance both structural and non-structural measures: modern levee systems, earthquake-resistant infrastructure, hazard maps, early-warning tools, and widespread community evacuation training. With an aging population and increasingly severe weather, he stressed that local communities must cultivate a sense of self-help and mutual support.
He also reiterated Japan’s global leadership in disaster management, referencing the Sendai Framework, World Tsunami Awareness Day, and Japan’s international cooperation through agencies such as JICA, whose flood-control initiatives in the Philippines have reportedly reduced damage by as much as 85% during Typhoon Ulysses.
Compact Weather Radar for Asia’s Rapidly Changing Climate
The session showcased two Japanese technologies designed to address urgent, Asia-specific challenges. The first was an ultra-compact weather radar system developed by Furuno Electric.
Presenting the technology, Soshi Kawakita, International Marketing Department representative at Furuno Electric, explained that the radar—measuring just one meter in diameter—offers high-resolution, real-time detection of localized heavy rainfall, a growing problem across Asia as climate change accelerates.
“Our radar is lightweight, cost-efficient and easy to install on existing buildings,” Kawakita said. “It fills blind spots left by conventional large radars and allows multiple-radar networks to monitor rainstorms with high accuracy.”
The radar’s portability makes it suitable for airports, offshore vessels, and remote areas. Six units are already installed across Singapore, forming part of the country’s rainfall monitoring and nowcasting system. The system’s 70-kilometre observation range and dual-polarimetric capability enable more precise rainfall predictions and squall detection.
Instant House: Emergency Shelter Ready in One Hour
The second technology presented was the Instant House, an inflatable, foam-reinforced emergency shelter developed by Professor Keisuke Kitagawa of the Nagoya Institute of Technology. Created in response to student questions after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the design focuses on rapid deployment, affordability and comfort.
Kitagawa demonstrated how an Instant House can be assembled in approximately one hour using only an air blower and insulation spray—without heavy machinery or specialized construction teams.
“If disaster victims or refugees can build their own shelter quickly and safely, it restores dignity and stability,” Kitagawa said. “Instant House is lightweight, low-cost and durable enough to withstand heavy snow, extreme temperatures and even typhoon-level winds.”
The structures have been deployed worldwide, including Turkey, Syria, Morocco, Southeast Asia, and recently during Japan’s New Year’s Day earthquake. More than 250 units were installed in just three months to support displaced residents.
Kitagawa added that new variations—such as ultra-light 80-kg flat-packed models and drone-deliverable versions—are being developed for faster deployment in hard-to-reach areas.
A Whole-of-Nation Approach for Shared Regional Resilience
The Japanese government stressed that its disaster-resilience model relies on a whole-of-nation approach, combining government policies, private-sector capabilities and academic expertise. This collaboration, officials said, is essential for building resilient societies across Asia, where extreme weather and seismic events are becoming more frequent.
