Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, SPORTS AND CULTURE 1995 > Special Report 2 (4)

Schools and other educational facilities were used as evacuation centers after the earthquake, and many teachers and other personnel made a major contribution to the operation of these centers. This experience raised important issues concerning such matters as the role schools can and should play following natural disasters; the establishment of disaster prevention systems by schools, boards of education, and other organizations; the efficacy of schools' and other educational facilities' disaster prevention systems and earthquake resistance measures; and approaches to disaster prevention education. It was decided to carry out basic studies concerning these issues, and hearings for relevant organizations began in April 1995. In addition, research and surveys are currently being carried out with the cooperation of experts. MESSC planned to draw up basic policies and measures before the end of fiscal 1995 and to use the findings as the basis for a comprehensive review of the MESSC Disaster Prevention Operation Plan.

In addition to these basic studies, approximately 74.6 billion yen was allocated in the first supplementary budget for fiscal 1995 for the reinforcement of disaster prevention systems in national and local public schools and other educational facilities. These funds were earmarked for the repair or reconstruction of aging facilities and for measures to make facilities earthquake resistant. Special importance was placed on the safety of schoolchildren and the role of school facilities as evacuation centers. For this reason, approximately 10.1 billion yen was provided in the first supplementary budget for fiscal 1995 for use in the improvement of earthquake resistance measures at local public elementary and lower secondary schools, including the reinforcement and modification of school buildings. It was also decided that the national subsidy system would be administered flexibly with regard to such measures as the conversion of surplus classrooms into storage areas and the installation of showers as part of projects to improve clubhouse facilities. Other essential measures currently under consideration include improving the earthquake resistance of school lunch kitchen centers and school swimming pools and the provision of dual gas supply systems (propane and city gas) in school lunch kitchen centers.

The Architectural Institute of Japan was commissioned to conduct research and surveys concerning the ability of educational facilities to resist earthquakes and carried out surveys and studies concerning the extent of damage and other matters. The results of this work show that damage was especially severe in buildings constructed before the introduction of the present earthquake resistance standards in 1981. For this and other reasons universities, boards of education, and other relevant organizations were instructed to take various steps, including the analysis and improvement of earthquake resistance measures in existing buildings.

Further research and surveys were to be carried out to provide data for studies on such aspects as the causes of damage. With the assistance of experts, studies were also conducted concerning the earthquake resistance of historic buildings and of important preservation districts for groups of historic buildings.