Person:
Ishiwatari, Mikio

Water & Energy Management Unit, East Asia & Pacific Region
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Fields of Specialization
disaster risk management; water resources management
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Water & Energy Management Unit, East Asia & Pacific Region
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Last updated: January 31, 2023
Biography
Mikio Ishiwatari is Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist at the World Bank, and has been engaged in the projects of flood risk management (FRM) and disaster risk management (DRM) in East Asia and Pacific Region since 2013. He was Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank Institute, and the focal point for the “Learning from Megadisaster” project in Tokyo. The project was launched by the Government of Japan and the World Bank in October 2011. Before moving to the World Bank in 2011, Mr. Ishiwatari was Senior Advisor on Disaster Management and Water Resources Management at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). He led formulation of the Japanese assistance policies of climate change adaptation and community-based DRM. Also, he led the preparation and supervision of dozens of JICA projects. He conducted post-project review on JICA’s rehabilitation projects following the Indian Ocean Tsunami, and produced “Post-project review report on rehabilitation following the Indian Ocean Tsunami from a human security perspective”; and led to produce research paper “Community-based disaster management: lessons learned from JICA projects”. He worked at various positions of DRM and water resources management at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, Japan for over 15 years. He formulated and supervised national projects of FRM and highways in Iwami District as Director for Hamada River and Road Office, and was responsible for research and technology development in DRM and water resource management as Senior Deputy Director for River Technology and Information. He worked as Urban Development Specialist at the Asian Development Bank. He was editor of “Special Issue: Japanese experience of disaster management, Asian Journal of Environment and Disaster Management”. He has written various articles on DRM, climate change adaptation, and peace building that were published in DRM journals and publications.  He is a member of “Committee on Building Resilience to Natural Disasters” of the Japan Science Society; and experienced a member of “Advisory Council of Development Assistance in Climate Change Adaptation” of Ministry of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan, a member of “Steering Committee of Water and Climate Change of Asia-Pacific Water Forum”, and other committees.  He was awarded the prize “Contribution to International Cooperation” by Japan Society of Civil Engineers in 2014.

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 12
  • Publication
    Building Performance
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-01) Narafu, Tatsuo; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    The strong main shock of the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) of March 11, 2011, caused little damage to buildings. Buildings designed under the current building code and those with base isolation fared well. However, seismic design guidelines for nonstructural members had not been considered adequately, which resulted in problems such as the collapse of ceiling panels. Soil liquefaction occurred in reclaimed coastal area along Tokyo Bay and riverside areas. The key lessons of the GEJE are that seismic-resistant building design prevent collapse of buildings and protects human lives, that retrofitting vulnerable buildings is essential to reduce damage, that seismic isolation functioned well, and that nonstructural building components can cause serious damage. When applying these lessons to developing countries, local technical and socioeconomic conditions should be taken into account. This report gives findings; lessons; and recommendations for developing countries.
  • Publication
    Ensuring Protection in Response and Equity in Recovery
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-01) Saito, Yoko; Shibuya, Hironobu; Arnold, Margaret; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    As in every disaster, certain groups were more vulnerable than others to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). Two-thirds of those who lost their lives were over 60 years old. Response efforts to the catastrophe also affected social groups differently and reflected existing inequities, particularly with respect to women. Children, the elderly, and the disabled also have special needs, which were not always met. These vulnerable groups should also be engaged in the planning, design, and implementation of relief and recovery activities to ensure a more effective and efficient recovery, and contribute to more sustainable and resilient communities in the longer-term. This report gives immediate impact of the disaster; response and early recovery; empowering marginalized groups for long-term recovery; lessons; and recommendations for developing countries.
  • Publication
    Infrastructure Rehabilitation
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-01) Sagara, Junko; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    Social infrastructure and public utilities are critical for quick and effective disaster response and recovery. Japan's rigorous seismic reinforcement of infrastructure has greatly reduced the effort required to restore essential facilities. Identification of priority infrastructure, legislation of financial arrangements for rehabilitation, and establishment of pre-disaster plans alongside the private sector have enabled prompt emergency response operations and facilitated a quick rehabilitation. This report gives findings; lessons; and recommendations for developing countries.
  • Publication
    Business Continuity Plans
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-03-01) Ono, Takahiro; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) identifies the potential effects of disruptions to an organization's critical operations if a disaster were to occur, and specifies effective response actions and quick recovery measures. In the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), BCPs served their purpose to some extent, but certain weaknesses were identified. While BCPs helped to keep critical operational functions going, and then to rehabilitate general operations, most small-and medium-sized enterprises had, unfortunately, not even prepared BCPs. Since the private sector plays a major role in creating jobs and supporting local economies, it should be required to prepare BCPs, but with support from the government. The private sector plays a major role in creating employment and supporting the local economy, thereby ensuring regional sustainability. In the event of a disaster, the role of the private sector becomes even more important in this respect.
  • Publication
    Community-based Disaster Risk Management
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-03-01) Shaw, Rajib; Ishiwatari, Mikio; Arnold, Margaret
    Local communities play a key role in preparing for disastrous events such as the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), and are normally the first responders to take action. On March 11, 2011, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) were active in the disaster response and saved countless human lives. Recognizing the role of communities and providing them with central and local government support is critical to maintaining and strengthening important community based functions. Local communities have been responding to and managing disaster risk for centuries. Before the creation of Japan's formal state system, local communities carried out disaster-related activities as volunteers; community-based organizations (CBOs) have existed for centuries.
  • Publication
    Evacuation
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-03) Arakida, Masaru; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    Community evacuation measures should be the centerpiece of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) systems. Because the Sanriku region has suffered from frequent tsunamis, its local communities have passed their knowledge from generation to generation, mainly by constructing commemorative monuments and by conducting education and drills. Nevertheless, about 20,000 people died or are missing as a result of the catastrophic tsunami on March 11, 2011. Various factors, such as underestimating tsunami heights in warnings and on hazard maps, as well as a lack of awareness, influenced the number of human lives lost. Since neither the local governments nor the electric power company had prepared properly for possible nuclear accidents, evacuation from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station was chaotic. Because predictions and other measures to foresee or prevent potential disasters are often unreliable, community evacuation measures should be at the center of DRM systems. Local governments conduct tsunami evacuation drills every year on days commemorating past large scale tsunamis, and residents learned how to evacuate safely and quickly from their own houses to designated shelters. Certain issues had been identified in evacuation measures even before the March 11 disaster. Public awareness about the possibility of a tsunami disaster had decreased since large-scale damage had not been sustained in many years.
  • Publication
    Tsunami and Earthquake Warning Systems
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-09) Ishiwatari, Mikio
    Warning systems can mitigate the damage caused by tsunamis and other natural events, and prevent the loss of human life and properties. Countermeasures, such as evacuations to higher ground and the stopping of trains, depend on getting the right information and disseminating it in a timely manner. Warning systems must also be aligned with community response. While Japan has developed the most sophisticated tsunami-warning system in the world, the system underestimated tsunami height on March 11 and may have misled the evacuees and increased human losses. This report gives findings; lessons; and recommendations for developing countries.
  • Publication
    Mobilizing and Coordinating Expert Teams, Nongovernmental Organizations, Nonprofit Organizations, and Vounteers
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-09) Osa, Yukie; Sagara, Junko; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    In response to the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), domestic and international assistance initiatives were launched by a large number of public and private sectors organizations; and various emergency teams were mobilized through national and international networks. The GEJE reminded us that civil society organizations play an indispensable role in disaster management. These organizations have the advantage of flexibility and speed in reaching and caring for affected communities. However, there were no coordination mechanisms in place that functioned properly on the ground. Because of the complexity of disaster response operations and the large numbers of actors involved, coordination mechanisms must be established in advance during normal times. Municipality and prefecture governments play a leading role in disaster response in Japan. However, because of the catastrophic consequences of the March 11 earthquake and tsunamis many of the local governments were unable to respond, so national agencies as well as prefectures and municipalities outside the affected region were quickly deployed. Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) is a specialized team of medical doctors, nurses, and operational coordinators trained to conduct emergency operations during the critical period, normally within 48 hours, after a large-scale disaster or accident.
  • Publication
    Protecting Significant and Sensitive Facilities
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-09) Toyama, Masato; Sagara, Junko; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    The Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) was a multi-hazard event. A massive quake triggered a series of tsunamis of unprecedented dimension, as well as the subsequent nuclear accident. Sensitive facilities need to be protected against low-probability and complex events because damage to such facilities can have a cascading effect, multiplying the destruction and leading to irreversible human, social, economic, and environmental impacts. This report gives findings; lessons; and recommendations for developing countries.
  • Publication
    Green Belts and Coastal Risk Management
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-09) Shaw, Rajib; Noguchi, Yusuke; Ishiwatari, Mikio
    For more than four centuries Japan has been developing forested green belts to mitigate coastal hazards such as sandstorms, salty winds, high tides, and tsunamis. Although Japan's green belts were severely damaged by the March 11 tsunami, they did reduce the impact of waves, and protected houses by capturing floating debris. Local governments are planning to reconstruct the green belts as a countermeasure against tsunamis. While local communities have traditionally taken charge of maintaining green belts, their role has been weakened because of changes in society brought about by economic development and urbanization. The people who lived on the dunes along the coast had suffered from sandstorms and tidal disasters that damaged their agricultural products and the pine forests protected their fields. Masamune allowed the people to sell wood from branches that were trimmed or had fallen to cover the expense of maintaining the green belt. The green belt became less important after the rapid economic growth of the 1970s, as other more effective Disaster Risk Management (DRM) measures were developed, and electricity and gas replaced wood as energy sources for people. The community's role in managing the green belt diminished, and governments took over its maintenance.