Japan Press Weekly

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2022 December 14 - 20 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Termination of volcanic eruption early warning service provokes backlash from volcanic municipalities

The termination of an early warning email service concerning volcanic eruptions and heavy rains has been facing opposition from municipalities where an active volcano is located.

The Meteorological Agency on December 13 announced that it will terminate the delivery of such early warning emails, which people compulsorily receive through their mobile phones, at 2 p.m. on December 26.

A volcanic-disaster prevention network consisting of 167 municipalities demands that the service be maintained, saying that the volcanic early warning email service is an important means to instantly convey the first report on an impending volcanic eruption to residents.

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Tamura Takaaki in the latest extraordinary Diet session said that the service to distribute early warning emails on volcanic eruptions and heavy rains needs 12 million yen a year for its operations and the updating of the service system needs about 300 million yen. He pointed out that the service will be discontinued due to the cost. He said, "The government should not act as if the termination is an unchangeable decision. It should discuss thoroughly with relevant municipalities regarding the continuation of the service."

Kyoto University Professor Iguchi Masato, an expert in volcanic issues, in an interview with Akahata said, "The early warning service should be improved to specifically identify areas that may be affected by a volcanic disaster rather than being abolished. To deliver disaster information across the board to the general public is a government responsibility as the country's disaster-prevention organ."