{
  "id": 17802709,
  "title": "Japan launches new national agency to deal with disasters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/japan-launches-new-national-agency-to-deal-with-disasters-17802709",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-02T13:47:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20261102/japan-launches-new-national-agency-to-deal-with-disasters"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Monday, Japan inaugurated a new national agency dedicated to disaster management, aiming to enhance the country's readiness for potential catastrophic events such as earthquakes along the Pacific coast, including Tokyo, or eruptions from Mount Fuji. The agency, overseen by more than 350 workers, will be responsible for preparedness, emergency response, and reconstruction efforts.\n\nThe establishment of the National Disaster Management Agency was not prompted by any specific disaster but rather a response to concerns about Japan's preparedness for a crisis of the scale experienced during the 2011 quake and tsunami in northern Japan, which claimed nearly 20,000 lives, and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster. Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan is among the most disaster-prone nations globally, yet it has never had an agency solely devoted to this critical task.\n\nReconstruction Minister Goshi Hosono emphasized the agency's role as the command center of disaster response, stating that its primary objective is to strengthen preparedness to safeguard lives and properties. The agency, headed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is determined to become the world's most prepared nation in terms of disaster management.",
  "summary": "TOKYO — Japan on Monday launched a new national agency focused on disaster management to improve the country's preparedness if there's a megaquake along the Pacific coast or in Tokyo, or an eruption of Mount Fuji. More than 350 workers at the National Disaster Management Agency will oversee preparedness, emergency response and reconstruction efforts. The agency was not created in anticipation of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Japan launches new national agency to deal with disasters",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/japan-launches-new-national-agency-to-deal-with-disasters",
        "published": "2026-11-02T09:45:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Japan launches new national agency to deal with disasters",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/japan-launches-new-national-agency-to-deal-with-disasters-17787298",
        "published": "2026-11-02T10:39:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}