Japanese Govt to Classify Large-scale Infrastructure Failures as Disasters; Disaster Relief to Become Available for Such Incidents

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, August 3, 2025

The government will classify large-scale failures in the functions of infrastructure as disasters under its new guidelines for such incidents, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The pillar of the guidelines is to legally treat incidents in which supplies of electricity, tap water and other essential goods or services are obstructed for prolonged periods of time as natural disasters, enabling the government to swiftly implement administrative action for relief.

The guidelines were compiled at a conference of relevant ministries and agencies in late June.

With cyberattacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, the guidelines aim to provide a way to better deal with any potentially serious impacts on society.

The government aims for the guidelines to cover interruptions to electric power supplies, telecommunication functions and data center operations, among others.

As examples of large-scale infrastructure failures, the government cites blackouts and telecommunication failures caused by system trouble, including those involving human error. The failures, it anticipates, could lead to such incidents as disruptions to roads due to failed traffic lights, people trapped in elevators, cuts to the water supply and adverse effects on medical institutions.

If certain criteria are met, such as “residential buildings are substantially dysfunctional,” an incident will be treated as a “disaster” under the Basic Law on Disaster Management, and all related laws will be applied.

Under the guidelines, the government will be able to provide push-style assistance and dispatch public officials in the immediate aftermath of such incidents.

Moreover, in cases where “many people’s lives may be under threat,” the government will make use of the Disaster Relief Law, which facilitates the provision of soup kitchens and welfare services.

“[The anticipated interruptions to society are] different from natural disasters, so knowledge and experience of past incidents alone are insufficient,” a government official said.

The government will include a policy in the guidelines requiring entities in both the public and private sectors to implement disaster-prevention drills and tabletop exercises to cope with the infrastructure failures in ordinary times.

The government will also create guidance for local governments, which handle the incidents on the front line.