Shibuya Medical Association, in cooperation with the Shibuya Ward government, prepares and operates various disaster response programs. In Shibuya Ward, practical measures for emergency medical services in times of disaster have been established by the Shibuya City administration with the participation of the police and fire department.

The probability of a M7-class earthquake with the epicenter in the capital city within 30 years is 70%  (as announced by the University of Tokyo Earthquake Research Institute in 2017)
The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of January 17, 1995, of M6 magnitude on the Richter scale, was shocking to the Japanese people and changed the concept of disaster prevention. However, earthquakes with a magnitude of over 7 on the Richter scale continued to occur, including the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake on October 23, 2004, the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the Kumamoto Earthquake on April 14, 2016, and the Hokkaido Iburi Tobu Earthquake on September 6, 2018. It has been announced that these earthquakes have a high probability of leading to a major earthquake directly below the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Disaster Medical Relief System
Since the “Agreement on Disaster Medical Relief Activities” was signed between Shibuya City and the Medical Association in April 1979, the Shibuya City Crisis Management Department, public health centers, and the Medical Association have been periodically confirming their views and basic policies on disaster medical care to establish a continuous system of disaster medical care and cooperation.

• Fourteen emergency medical aid stations have been set up in Shibuya Ward. (In the event of a disaster, they will be operated with the cooperation of local Medical Association members.)
  List of Emergency Medical Aid Stations in Shibuya Ward (URL)

Three Medical Associations
Three Medical Associations in Shibuya (our Medical Association, the Dental Association, and the Pharmacists Association), Shibuya Ward, the Police, and the Fire Department are all members of the Shibuya Ward Disaster Medical Care Operation Council, which was established in 2016 and meets regularly. The Council makes recommendations and exchanges opinions on the preparation of medical aid station operation manuals and training, and disaster map awareness.

Shibuya Ward Disaster Prevention Drill

The “Shibuya City Disaster Prevention Drill” has changed in both name and form from 2015. It is now a “Disaster Prevention Festival” for all residents, and the Medical Association continues to participate and cooperate in the event. Each participant follows a series of drills, from the occurrence of a disaster to setting up an emergency medical station and helping people who cannot return home. In 2019, the event was held on August 31. The Medical Association conducted the training and explanation of the triage and treatment of the injured and sick together with the emergency and disaster managers of Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital and the Japanese Red Cross Society Medical Center.

Cooperation with Relevant Bodies
Shibuya Ward has a huge terminal station, Shibuya Station, which may cause traffic disruptions and make it difficult for many people to return home when a disaster occurs. At the same time, many people may become injured or sick due to fires and other dangers that an earthquake right under Tokyo may bring. The disaster countermeasures cover a wide range of departments. We will continue to build effective strategies in close cooperation with the relevant departments.
Shibuya Disaster Prevention Portal (URL) Disaster Prevention Map (URL)