The Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries (the Program) is a program established by the partnership of Government of Japan and the World Bank to support client countries in enhancing their resilience against climate change and natural hazards. The Program aims to achieve this objective by funding technical assistant (TA) grants (a list of projects can be found on the map below) and by connecting Japanese and global expertise and best practices in disaster risk management (DRM) with developing countries and World Bank teams.
Under the partnership between the Government of Japan and the World Bank, the Program is playing a key role in supporting the global development agenda and helping developing countries achieve the targets set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Below is a map that shows the Program’s portfolio which has been supporting over 270 technical assistance projects in more than 110 countries, and now totaling over $160 million in grants (as of January 2024). Please visit the interactive map for more details and click the image of the map for the interactive version.
BACKGROUND AND EVOLUTION
Japan has forged a strong partnership with the World Bank to assist developing countries in reducing their risks against natural disasters. Japan, one of the founding donors of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) in 2006, further strengthened cooperation with the World Bank in 2011 after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami through knowledge, advocacy and operational initiatives.
The “Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries” was shaped following the 2012 “Sendai Report: Managing Disaster Risks for a Resilient Future”, prepared by the World Bank and GFDRR, with financial support from the Government of Japan. The $100 million program implemented since 2014 funds technical assistance, pilot projects, and capacity building activities focused on mainstreaming DRM into national development planning and investment projects as well as capturing and deploying Japanese know-how and expertise to support DRM policies and programs.
In April 2018, building on the Program’s achievements in four years, the Government of Japan and the World Bank agreed to renew the Program with an additional US$100 million contribution from Japan Ministry of Finance (MoF), doubling the total Program value to US$200 million. The renewed Program will be implemented throughout 2024 and will have a thematic focus on: i) Resilient Infrastructure, ii) Risk Identification, Risk Reduction, and Preparedness, and; iii) Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI). The primary development objective of the next five years is to mainstream disaster risk management into national development planning and investment programs, including through World Bank country strategies and operations.
Three priority areas
The Roles of World Bank Tokyo DRM Hub
The World Bank Tokyo DRM Hub is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Program and actively connects Japanese expertise and knowledge in disaster resilience, quality infrastructure, and sustainable urban development with resilience programs and initiatives. It also collaborates with other Japan-supported programs such as the Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC), the Quality Infrastructure and Investment (QII) Trust Fund, and the Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) to maximize efforts and scale support to resilient infrastructure investments.
In addition, the World Bank Tokyo DRM Hub acts as the Program’s facilitator of DRM expertise, knowledge, and technology solutions needed to help developing countries build resilience to disaster and climate risk. The World Bank Tokyo DRM Hub: (i) provides project preparation and operational support to World Bank task teams; (ii) supports the deployment of Japanese and global DRM experts to developing countries; (iii) disseminates knowledge and lessons learned from projects; and (iv) is responsible for the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the Program.
Supported by the World Bank Tokyo DRM Hub, many of the Program’s active projects draw on Japanese expertise in DRM.
The Program has supported more than 110 countries through over 270 technical assistance projects now totaling over $160 million in grants (as of January 2024).
These projects have been key towards increasing country capacity for assessing and designing disaster risk management policy and solutions. This includes, for example, supporting the adoption of national policy frameworks for mainstreaming disaster and climate resilience across infrastructure and social sectors; and strengthening building codes and land use planning systems. Most notably, program activities have helped countries mobilize World Bank financing for resilient infrastructure investments.
Please click on the image of the map for the interactive version.
Below is a map that shows the Program’s portfolio which has been supporting over 270 technical assistance projects in more than 110 countries, and now totaling over $160 million in grants (as of January 2024). Global grants are shown on the upper-left area of the map.
List of Projects (Sortable tables)
The Japan Program addresses the challenges created by intensifying natural hazards and a changing climate by connecting Japanese DRM expertise and solutions with the World Bank’s developing country partners around the world by mobilizing Japanese DRM experts from across the public and private sectors, civil society organizations and academia.
This section highlights the outcomes realized across our diverse portfolio of technical assistance grants.
Our ‘What’s New’ section features Event Notes which summarize events hosted or coordinated with the Japan Program often featuring Japanese experts’ role in supporting technical assistance.
| Thematic Areas and Annual Reports <Click on links below for list of publications> | |
|---|---|
| 1. Resilient Infrastructure | 2. Risk Identification, Risk Reduction, and Preparedness |
| 3. Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (DRFI) | |
| 4. Annual Reports and Program Brochures | |
