The government will complete anti-earthquake reinforcement of major public facilities by 2035, the interior ministry said Thursday, after a massive quake struck Japan earlier this week and claimed the lives of nearly 100 people.

Should private buildings be reinforced to better withstand earthquakes, administrative incentives will be offered, such as raising the floor area ratio and the building-to-land ratio of the improved buildings, the ministry said.

These were part of the “Third Comprehensive Plan on Earthquake Disaster Prevention” that the ministry has finalized together with 18 central government agencies and 17 provincial and city governments. The five-year plan will be carried out through 2028, it said.

Under the plan, the government plans to raise the ratio of public facilities with earthquake-proof features to 87 percent from the current 76.5 percent, with the ultimate goal of raising the ratio to 100 percent by 2035.

Core national facilities, such as roads, railways and power facilities, and l
ocal government buildings, will be reinforced by 2025, school buildings by 2029, and police and fire stations by 2030, according to the ministry.

Buildings required to undergo seismic performance evaluations will be expanded to include five-story or higher apartment buildings built over 30 years ago. Currently, buildings with over 21 stories or those accounting for over 50,000 square meters in total floor area are required to undergo the assessment.

The ministry said it plans to establish 426 seismic stations in the country by 2027 and develop education materials for civil servants in charge of earthquake evacuation drills, and expand trainings based on different scenarios and locations.

Source: Yonhap News Agency