The U.N. World Conference on Disaster Reduction was held for five days from January 18(Tue) to the 22nd (.Sat) in 2005 in the City of Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The purpose of this meeting is “by review of the Yokohama strategy which adopted at Yokohama in Heisei 6 and its action plan (1994 The United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction), with a view to updating the guiding framework on disaster reduction for 21st century and aims at reduction of the impacts of disaster in all over the world”, and 68-nation 4000 persons participated. (International Organization: 78 organizations, NGO; 161 organizations, Press; 154 organizations).

The basic theme of the meeting entitles “towards disaster reduction in society”.
Meeting organization is constituted by three sessions;
“Inter-governmental Segment”: Main Committee adopts a new guiding framework for disaster reduction by U.N. member and related U.N. organization’s etc.
“Thematic segment”: perform to compensate the argument on Inter-governmental Segment.

Public forum”: such as symposium etc. that for sharing the knowledge concerning disaster reduction; by participation of the government and an international organization, and NGO, which general citizens can participate also open to the public. The total number of persons became more than 40,000 participants, adding the general citizen who participated in the public forum.

The concern of disaster reduction become high because of the major Earthquake off the Coast of Sumatra and Tsunami in the Indian Ocean which it occurred at the end of last year and shocked people in the world, the active argument was developed at every hall.

The following is a part of meeting.
The United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction synthesis forum was 4,410 participants. Theme: Dispatch of precept of the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake to international society. Ten years has passed since the great Hanshin- Awaji earthquake, in the meantime, the calamities, such as earthquake, flood damage, and a volcanic eruption etc., have also occurred frequently all over the world. The silence proposal from many people who passed away in the Great Hanshin Earthquake should not be wasteful, and furthermore, the precept and knowledge which were acquired from restoration and revival should be shared with people allover the world; the meeting purport is “towards the Disaster Reduction society”, and it was divided as the themes “Life”, “Living”, “Town”

In the 3rd session of the “Life” field, theme was “Protecting disaster victims’ “Life”" (800 participants),.it spoke about introduction and expansion of the activities, such as medical treatment and nursing in the calamity, mental care, care for the person required the support, and medical welfare.

The United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction Public Forum;
Participants were 50 Japanese, 6 foreigners. The 21st century COE program, University of Hyogo, College of Nursing Art and Science graduate course took part in the planning, and sponsored forum as the theme “Disaster and Health; Creation of healthy restoring ability during mid and long-term after disaster”. Research activities and the research result were announced by four researchers, and also the researcher of the Czech Republic and Israel were joined and announced countermeasures for disaster.

Panel Discussion
In the meeting by theme of “the health and risk reduction” which WHO-ICN sponsored, Ms. Yuko Minami, President of Japan Society of Disaster Nursing, was reported and introduced about the measure of disaster nursing and support activities in Japan as President of Japanese Nursing Association. It was discussed about the need for establishing disaster-prepared health systems, the need for a framework of disaster risk reduction strategies,and the need for health professional’s preparation to be more proactive on disaster etc. “I think that it is a big contribution that in the United Nations meeting, the subject of health was discussed for the first time, and it was able to focus about the healthy needs at the time of disaster and also mid and long term after disaster.”

Look back upon a conference.

The situation immediately after generating a disaster is reported by the mass media. Surely an acute period should be considered to be “lifesaving is first”, as well as showing importance to emergency medical treatment and emergency nursing. It will be more important to consider that “having feeling that show that a person’s life is the greatest property” as a medical person.

The mid and long-term supports are considered ass well as medical and healthy needs including assisted living etc. are also important at the same time. Depending on the time and place, healthy needs may become more important than medical needs. Moreover, when medical needs are required, healthy needs are also important at the same time. Giving thought to the mid and long term support in the stage of an acute period, it can be said that great the nursing jobs which touches to disaster victims or wounded persons most often, along with nursing jobs and disaster nursing are supported from the viewpoint of healthy administration of disaster victims, independence and commensalisms.

With the theme of The United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction, every country in the world is made and the feasible way for preventing and reducing disasters is shifting to action, and building the framework for shifting action. Moreover, for support to be healthy not only in medical jobs but also in the framework of occupational descriptions across boundaries, such as participation of the dietitian who protects health, needs to be required. I think that it was such a thing.

The focused on disaster medical treatment and nursing, and disaster nursing has been much more important.

Considering the health of the mind and body of people after disasters as a nursing job and support to persons with a high support priority (called the damage weak) will become key in the time of disaster. Japan is said to be a ” frequent occurring country Japan”, “disaster kingdom Japan” by each country.

The abundant experience and the technology / wisdom which experienced much disaster are used efficiently, and it transmits down to other generations towards disaster reduction, Japanese Nursing Association and Japan Society of Disaster Nursing taking leadership will lead to disaster prevention and reduction and hands down disaster culture rather than anything else.