Japan and Taiwan both have a history of learning from numerous and diverse natural disasters and building affluent societies by drawing on the lessons learned.
They have also supported each other as both have been struck by major earthquakes over the years.
The massive earthquake that rocked Taiwan recently should serve as another opportunity for both Japan and Taiwan to enhance their knowledge of disaster prevention and post-disaster relief and reconstruction efforts.
On the morning of April 3, an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of an upper 6 struck Hualien County in eastern Taiwan, the day before Qingming, a traditional day for tomb sweeping in Taiwan that marks one of the 24 seasonal divisions.
The quake mainly damaged buildings in urban areas and caused landslides in mountainous regions. As of April 8, 13 people had been killed, with some still missing. More than 1,100 people were injured. Rescue and support for the victims and survivors are urgently needed.
Taiwan, a region prone to earthquakes, has learned from past disasters and continuously taken measures to improve its preparedness. The quake that caused the most damage in recent years was the one that shook central Taiwan in September 1999.
Following this disaster, Taiwan boosted the quake-resistance seismic standards for buildings.
However, some older buildings remain inadequately protected. Two buildings in Hualien City, which leaned significantly, are examples of vulnerable structures.
Many other buildings appear to have suffered serious damage to pillars and walls. In addition to fresh reassessments of buildings' earthquake resistance, measures such as rebuilding or reinforcement are also required for older and weaker structures.
Landslides occurred across the affected mountainous areas, with bridges collapsing and roads being severed. Most of the victims died due to falling rocks.
About 700 people were stranded in places such as the Taroko Gorge, a popular tourist destination known for its scenic beauty, and it took four days to rescue all of the trapped people.
The risk of people and communities being stranded or isolated due to disrupted access during huge quakes is also a key concern for Japan, which has many mountainous areas.
In the city of Hualien, the local administration and various nongovernmental organizations started sharing information on necessary relief supplies as soon as the earthquake occurred.
Three hours later, evacuation centers equipped with disaster relief tents were set up, showcasing remarkable coordination in disaster response.
The local government and NGOs had held discussions about role sharing in emergencies. Japan should pay close attention to such efforts to learn from Taiwan’s systems and expertise.
What is especially valuable is the mutual sympathy between the citizens of Japan and Taiwan. The efforts of Japanese rescue teams during the central Taiwan earthquake are still remembered in Taiwanese society.
When Japan was devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, it received about 20 billion yen ($131.6 million) in donations from Taiwan, and 2.5 billion yen of Taiwanese contributions in the aftermath of the Noto Peninsula earthquake on Jan. 1.
Now it's Japan's turn to extend a helping hand, with fund-raising campaigns for Taiwan being organized nationwide.
The only foreign rescue team that has entered Taiwan so far is from Turkey, which is using drone search technology to support rescue efforts.
Taiwan has a history of supporting Turkey during major earthquakes. This is another example of a trusting relationship between regions prone to frequent earthquakes built over years of mutual assistance.
We are no longer in an era where disaster prevention and damage mitigation know-how can be developed by a single country or region alone.
It is essential to ensure that countries can pool collective wisdom and expertise through exchanges and interactions at various levels, including experts, private-sector companies and NGOs.
Trust and empathy form the foundation of these efforts.
--The Asahi Shimbun, April 9
EDITORIAL: Japan, Taiwan should pool their expertise in disaster response
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09.04.2024
Japan and Taiwan both have a history of learning from numerous and diverse natural disasters and building affluent societies by drawing on the lessons learned.
They have also supported each other as both have been struck by major earthquakes over the years.
The massive earthquake that rocked Taiwan recently should serve as another opportunity for both Japan and Taiwan to enhance their knowledge of disaster prevention and post-disaster relief and reconstruction efforts.
On the morning of April 3, an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of an upper 6 struck Hualien County in eastern Taiwan, the day before Qingming, a traditional day for tomb sweeping in Taiwan that marks one of the 24 seasonal divisions.
The quake mainly damaged buildings in urban areas and caused landslides in mountainous regions. As of April 8, 13 people had been killed, with some still missing. More than 1,100 people were injured. Rescue and support for the victims and survivors are urgently needed.
Taiwan, a region prone to........
© The Asahi Shimbun
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