Japan launches a national agency to lead disaster preparedness and response

Reconstruction Minister Goshi Hosono manages the agency day to day, AP reported. Kyodo said the Tokyo-based agency will set up regional hubs to work more closely with local governments and prepare damage-reduction measures, including for potential megaquakes along the Japan Trench, the Chishima Trench and the Nankai Trough, and directly beneath the Tokyo area.

Why it matters: Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, and Kyodo reported that the agency is meant to strengthen the government's response and reduce damage from a wide range of crises.