Japanese government establishes requirements for designating 'secondary waterways' to replace waterworks functions in preparation for large-scale disasters

(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Lee Do-yeon = An enforcement ordinance has been prepared containing requirements for designating a 'sub-capital' that will replace the function of the capital if a large-scale disaster occurs in Japan.

To date, four of the metropolitan and basic local governments wishing to be designated as secondary capitals have been found to meet this requirement.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 3rd, the Japanese government prepared an enforcement ordinance for the requirements for designating minor islands the previous day, and plans to make a decision at the Cabinet (State Council) within this month after collecting public opinions.

This is a measure that follows the passage of the minor capital establishment bill in the Japanese National Assembly last July.

The main purpose of the Sub-Water Installation Act is to designate local governments with a low probability of disasters occurring simultaneously with the Tokyo area as secondary capitals, thus replacing the function of water supply in times of emergency and resolving Tokyo's 'unipolar system'.

According to the enforcement ordinance, secondary capitals must perform their capital functions without being damaged by disasters at the same time as the metropolitan area, so they must not fall under either the emergency response area for earthquakes occurring immediately below the capital or the Mt. Fuji volcanic disaster alert area.

The condition was also specified that more than half of the national institutions established by the central government in local areas, such as local legal affairs bureaus and financial bureaus, should be present.

Population and economic requirements are also included, such as that within the prefecture (metropolitan government) there must be a government-designated city (a large city designated by the government with a population of 500,000 or more) that accounts for more than 1.2% of Japan's population, and that the total production of the prefecture must account for more than 2.1% of Japan's gross domestic product (GDP).

According to the requirements of this enforcement ordinance, among the local governments that have currently expressed their intention, four prefectures, including Hokkaido, Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka, are expected to meet them.

In a survey conducted by Yomiuri last August and September, in addition to these four prefectures, a total of six metropolitan local governments, including Hiroshima and Gunma, responded that they aim to designate minor cities.

The local government applies to the government through a resolution by the local council, and the prime minister designates the secondary capital after the government reviews whether it meets the requirements.

Once designated, you can receive benefits such as transportation facility maintenance and deregulation.

Once the enforcement ordinance is decided in the cabinet, the Japanese government plans to establish a 'sub-waterway maintenance promotion headquarters' headed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, establish basic policies related to the designation of sub-channels by next month, and present a future schedule.