Disaster Risk Reduction

Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to be Held in Sendai

March 14, 2015

Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

The UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) is a UN-hosted conference to discuss international strategy on disaster risk reduction. Japan will host the third conference in Sendai, following the first conference in Yokohama in 1994 and second conference in Kobe in 2005.

Japan, as the host country of the conference as well as an advanced country in disaster risk reduction, has been actively leading discussions toward the formulation of the new international framework for disaster risk reduction (post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction) to be adopted at this conference and preparing for the convening of the conference in cooperation with the UN and the host city (Sendai City), among others.

1 Date
2 Venue
3 Overview
4 Japan’s Expectation
5 Related Events
6 Press / Media Information
7 Related Link

1 Date

March 14 (Sat.) to 18 (Wed.), 2015

2 Venue

Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan (decided by the UN General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/68/211[PDF] Open a New Window , December 2013))
(Related events will be also held in the surrounding local municipalities)

3 Overview

(1) Expected participants include Heads of State/Government and ministers, representatives of international organizations, and internationally accredited NGOs.
(2) A successor framework of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)[Note] (post-HFA) is to be adopted.
(3) In addition to the main conference, various related events and study tours will be held in the nearby facilities and the surrounding communities.

[Note] Hyogo Framework for Action [PDF] Open a New Window : an international guiding principle on disaster risk reduction from 2005 to 2015 adopted at the Second World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe in 2005. A comprehensive action framework for disaster risk reduction that include expected outcome, strategic goals, priorities for action, implementation and follow-up.

4 Japan’s Expectation

(1) To promote mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction[Note] in international cooperation as well as domestic policies of the member states.
(2) To disseminate and share worldwide Japan’s knowledge about and expertise in disaster risk reduction and recovery acquired through the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and other natural disasters.

Japan's Cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction: Toward a Disaster-Resilient World [PDF]

[Note] Mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction: (1) to prioritize disaster risk reduction in the policies of each national government, (2) to introduce the perspective of disaster risk reduction in every development policy, and (3) to enhance investment in disaster risk reduction.

5 Related Events

Public Forum "Disaster Risk Reduction and Human Security"

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan will co-host a public forum "Disaster Risk Reduction and Human Security" with the UN Human Security Unit Open a New Window at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. Leaders from the UN, governments and civil society who are active in the area of disaster risk reduction will highlight the effectiveness of the human security approach in tackling disaster risk reduction and what kind of efforts are further required.