J. Transportation Holds a Key to Success: Lessons Learned through the Japanese
Disaster Relief Experience (Lesson #2690).
Observation
In a largescale disaster relief operation, it is critical to establish a joint transportation control center and a
transportation scheme at an early stage of the response. The joint transportation control center and its
terminal under joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational (JIIM) circumstances must have
enough trained personnel and equipment. It is essential to establish and practice transportation
coordination mechanism and its procedure before the disaster occurs. Reviewing the current disaster
response plan and relief mechanism is crucial. Reviewing military doctrine, organization, training, material,
leadership and education, personnel and facilities (DOTMLPF) at strategic and national level is important.
Discussion
People in Japan have been suffering from numerous earthquakes since ancient time. According to a recent
study of the history of earthquakes in Japan, more than 170 shocks with the scale of greater than Magnitude
7.0 have been identified since 416 AD.
A Magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit the northeastern region of Japan a quarter before 3 pm, March 11, 2011.
The epicenter was approximately 80 miles east off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture. This earthquake was the
most devastating earthquake ever observed in the history of Japanese earthquake surveillance. The
enormous energy caused a tsunami in the Pacific Ocean, and it hit the vast area along the coastal line in
the Northeast, shortly after the initial convulsion. The earthquake and tsunami caused widespread
catastrophic damage in the east and northeastern region of the island.
The deadly tsunami also caused nuclear disaster. Approximately 50 minutes after the earthquake, the 50-
foot high tsunami attacked the Fukushima Number 1 Nuclear Power Station situated along the coastal line
in Fukushima Prefecture. The Power Station lost power supply, and the reactor became unable to be
controlled. The Japanese Government designated the area within a 12-mile radius from Fukushima
Number 1 Nuclear Power Station as a warning area. More than 100,000 residents were evacuated.
Japanese military forces responded quickly. Designated by the Self-Defense Forces Law, large-scale disaster
relief activity is one of the missions assigned to active duty military forces. The Defense Minister ordered
to task-organize the Joint Task Force Tohoku (JTF-Tohoku) composed of the ground, maritime and air
components for the earthquake and tsunami response. The Central Readiness Force of the Japanese
Ground Self-Defense Force, or CRF was, responsible for the nuclear disaster relief. The CRF was explicitly
designed and established in 2007 for providing an initial response to various emergencies in and out of the
country. In the peak time of the disaster response, the Defense Ministry mobilized approximately 100,000
personnel, about 550 aircraft, and 60 naval vessels. This number indicates approximately 50% of the
strength of entire force that was committed in this operation.
In this relief operation, the Japanese military forces required simultaneously dealing with various tasks;
search and rescue activity, force projection of relief activity units, transportation of relief supplies, and
response to the nuclear accident. They knew that the capacity and capability of transportation was one of
the keys to the success of the disaster relief operation.
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