SAKIGAKE管理人 Disaster preparedness: from “readiness” to “everyday value”
On Sunday, April 12, 2026, our CEO Shumune Kondo appeared on “Minna no Sunday Bosai,” a radio program broadcast on community FM stations nationwide. Alongside Professor Kimio Meguro of the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Industrial Science, he discussed the current state of disaster preparedness and the vision SAKIGAKE JAPAN is working toward.
This was his first radio appearance. Following the broadcast, we received comments such as “The idea of making disaster preparedness work as a business was refreshing” and “It gave me a reason to think about disaster preparedness as something personal.” In this article, we’d like to revisit the content of the broadcast and the message we wanted to convey.
About the Program: “Minna no Sunday Bosai”
“Minna no Sunday Bosai” is a weekly Sunday radio program led by Professor Kimio Meguro of the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Industrial Science, delivering the latest information and perspectives on disaster preparedness. Broadcast nationwide through community FM stations via MUSIC BIRD, the program is built on the concept that “disaster preparedness is fun, useful every day, and therefore sustainable,” continuing to make preparedness feel accessible to a wide range of listeners.
Program Details:
- Program name: Minna no Sunday Bosai (Phase Free & Sustainable)
- Broadcast time: Every Sunday, 14:00–14:55
- Broadcast: MUSIC BIRD National Community FM Distribution Service
- Hosts: Kimio Meguro (Professor, University of Tokyo), Chie Kurose
- Supervised by: Japan SDGs Bosai Organization
- Archive: Available on AuDee
About Professor Kimio Meguro
Professor Kimio Meguro, who appeared alongside us on the program, is a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies and Institute of Industrial Science, and one of Japan’s leading disaster preparedness researchers. His specializations include urban earthquake disaster mitigation engineering and international disaster risk reduction strategy. He has spent many years studying disaster countermeasures from a multifaceted perspective encompassing hardware and software, domestic and international, and pre- and post-disaster approaches. He has served in numerous key positions, including as an advisor to the Cabinet Office and as a member of disaster prevention committees for related ministries, local governments, and lifeline companies. In 2023, he received the Prime Minister’s Award for his contributions to disaster prevention.
What We Discussed on Air — The Story Behind Our Founding and “Making Disaster Preparedness Part of Daily Life”
Why turn disaster preparedness into a business?
The first thing I spoke about on the broadcast was the background behind founding SAKIGAKE JAPAN.
Japan possesses a wealth of disaster preparedness technologies and expertise that it can be proud of on a global stage. Yet the reality is that much of it remains “unknown” and “unused.” Excellent small and medium-sized enterprises with superior technologies are unable to reach the market due to a lack of marketing and sales resources. Disaster education happens once and then stops — it is never sustained. Faced with these challenges, the founding idea of our company was to “implement disaster preparedness in society in a sustainable way through business.”
From “investment for emergencies” to “everyday value”
The central theme of the broadcast was the question: “How do we make disaster preparedness not an ‘investment for extraordinary times,’ but a form of ‘everyday value’?”
“I bought emergency supplies, but I don’t know where they are.” “I attended a drill, but by the next year I’d forgotten everything.” These are experiences many people share. The reason this happens, I believe, is that disaster preparedness is positioned as something “special” — disconnected from daily life.
If, for example, products and services used in everyday life were designed to function in times of crisis as well, then disaster preparedness would shift from “something necessary but a hassle to prepare for” to “something that is naturally built in through everyday living.” This is the concept of “Phase Free,” and it is also the vision of disaster preparedness that we are striving toward.
Taking Japan’s disaster preparedness technologies to the world
We also spoke on the broadcast about our overseas expansion. As the effects of climate change intensify natural disasters on a global scale, international demand for Japan’s disaster preparedness technologies and expertise — born from its long history of disaster experience — is steadily growing.
One of the products we handle, “Aster Power Coating,” is a specialized fiber-reinforced coating material developed by a startup originating from the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Industrial Science. Simply by applying this coating, it can enhance the seismic resistance of buildings. It has already been adopted in public schools in the Philippines and at World Heritage sites in Nepal, serving as a real-world example of Japanese technology protecting lives around the world.
Reflecting on the Broadcast
As this was my first radio appearance, I was nervous before we went on air. However, thanks to the warm hospitality of Professor Meguro and Ms. Chie Kurose, I was able to speak in a natural, relaxed atmosphere — much like one of our regular meetings.
“Minna no Sunday Bosai” is built on a commitment to making disaster preparedness enjoyable, accessible, and sustainable. That is exactly the same direction that our company is working toward. If this appearance gave even one person a reason to think about disaster preparedness not as “something for others” but as “something personally relevant,” we would be truly delighted.
About the Broadcast Archive
This broadcast is now available as an archive on the audio platform AuDee. We hope you will take a moment to listen when you have the time.
If you are interested in our initiatives or disaster preparedness products, please feel free to reach out using the links below.
▶ Broadcast archive on AuDee: https://audee.jp/program/show/100000437
▶ Contact SAKIGAKE JAPAN: https://sakigakejp.com/en/contact-en/