JAPAN'S ADAPTATION STRATEGIES AGAINST WATER-RELATED DISASTERS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

摘要

This paper introduces the adaptation strategies against water-related disasters taken by the Ministry of Land，Infrastructure，Transport and Tourism(MLIT)，Japan.Since mitigation measrues onlv are not enough to cope with already existing negative impact induced by climate change， optimal combination of mitigation and adaptation measures should be sought. Firstlv，intensifying external force and its impact on water-related disasters were analyzed in the case of Japan，such as decreasing safety level against flood，expanding below-sea-level areas，and increasing drought risk. Secondly，the adaptation strategies are elaborated in the following five prioritized water-related disaSter flelds，i.e.flood，sediment disaster，storm surge and coastal erosion，drought risk, and environmental change in rivers and coasts. Thirdly，such strategies need to be materialized by implementing the following practical measures， for instance，shift to preventive measures，clearly prioritized plan,short-and long-term roadmap， adaDtive approach,cooperation with various parties concerned，development of new technologies， and international assistance. In conclusion.climate change projections as well as future socio-economic conditions have great uncenainties at this point,however climate change could aggravate disaster damages in the regions that are still vulnerable to water-related disasters even in Japan.In cooperation with related public and Drivate sectors，MLIT is expected to quickly tackle these climate change issues before it becomes too late.