[Title] Cooperation on Disaster Management

We, the leaders of Japan, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea, against the backdrop of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, shared the view that a disaster that occurs in one of the three countries will cause pain not only to the country but also to the other two countries equally, and confirmed our will to make maximum efforts to cooperate for enhancing the disaster prevention and disaster relief capabilities as well as strengthening assistance system in case of an occurrence of a disaster.

We confirmed the following principles:

1.In order to minimize damages from a disaster, we will strengthen our efforts for disaster risk reduction by exchanging information.

2.When a grave disaster occurs in one of the three countries, the other two countries, after acknowledging and identifying the situation and needs of the disaster-affected country, will send disaster relief teams such as emergency rescue teams and relief supplies as quickly as possible, based on requests of the disaster-affected country. The disaster relief teams should be self-supporting so that they will not add burden on disaster-affected areas.

3.The disaster-affected country will provide possible cooperation in receiving disaster relief teams and relief supplies as swiftly as possible to the extent compatible with its national laws, taking into account international practices and the situation surrounding the disaster.

4.The three countries will share the experience and lessons of natural disasters, in particular the Great East Japan Earthquake, which will be used in disaster risk reduction and disaster relief efforts in the future.

5.The three countries will share information regarding the process of disaster recovery and thus strengthen trilateral cooperation on the recovery process.

6.The three countries will steadily promote trilateral cooperation that has been confirmed so far, including the Trilateral Joint Announcement on Disaster Management Cooperation issued at the First Trilateral Summit Meeting in 2008.

7.The three countries will closely cooperate in disaster management in other regional forums that include the three countries, such as ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit, and ASEAN+3.

Concretely, we will promote the following measures:

1.Conducting exercise and Enhancing capacity

Promote exchanges among authorities in charge of providing and receiving assistance, as well as disaster management and disaster relief, in order to improve capabilities to provide and receive assistance.

Consider conducting simulations (table top exercise; TTX) and joint exercises for several patterns of disasters, in cooperation with other regional frameworks if necessary.

Establish systems for effective cooperation among the three countries at the disaster-affected areas.

2.Ensuring quick and smooth communication in case of occurrence of a disaster

Designate 24 hours contact points for disseminating information of a disaster and quickly matching needs and assistance. Consider how the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat can facilitate bilateral communications.

Enhance cooperation for establishing networks to quickly confirm safety of nationals.

3.Enhancing coordination in providing and receiving assistance

Share information on procedures and practices in providing and receiving disaster relief teams as well as receiving relief supplies.

4.Promoting technology and enhancing information-sharing on disaster management

Share information on systems and policies of disaster management and disaster relief of the three countries.

Discuss how to utilize appropriate geo-spatial information for disaster management

Make the best use of platforms which have already been established or planned, by actively cooperating with regional organizations and UN agencies.

To steadily promote the above-mentioned measures, we will hold a workshop at the working-level, making best use of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat and considering the development of the situation in the disaster-affected areas. We also confirmed that we will cooperate toward the second Trilateral Meeting on Disaster Management to be held in China this year. Furthermore, building upon the results of these efforts, we confirmed that we will consider conducting an on-site study of joint research team comprised of experts on disaster prevention and reconstruction efforts in the three countries on an appropriate date considering the situation of the reconstruction in the disaster-affected areas in order to gain lessons for the future.