Facing different types and combinations of flood risk, Japan’s rich history, range of investments and approaches taken offers a unique knowledge opportunity for other countries seeking to adopt and advance integrated urban flood risk management (IUFRM). Japan is world-known for its culture of ‘disaster resilience’. Japan has experienced many major disasters and has a history of developing technologies, policies, and practices that help to mitigate disaster impacts. Many major Japanese cities, including Tokyo, are located in flood-prone lowland areas. Japan’s strategies for reducing flood risk span four decades, from the 1979 implementation of comprehensive flood risk management measures along 17 rivers to recent plans to mitigate the effects of heavy rain across many urban areas. Japan’s experience can support other countries as they develop their own flood risk management programs.
This series of knowledge notes compiles many of the key lessons learned from Japan’s IUFRM efforts.