On July 17, 2026, Japan enacted a law establishing a new Disaster Management Agency that will start operations in late 2026. (Act on Establishment of the Disaster Management Agency, Act No. 61 of 2026; Supp. Provisions, art. 1.) According to an advisory committee report, the agency will serve as a disaster management command center. It will take a comprehensive view of the nation’s disaster preparedness, unite the collective strengths of industry, government, academia, and the public, and envision and realize an appropriate disaster preparedness framework for the medium- to long-term. (Report at 3.)The Disaster Management Agency will be placed under the Cabinet, and the prime minister will be its top official. (Act No. 61, art. 2; art. 6....