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5 February 2026, Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High St, London W8 5SA

Registration from 1pm, seminar from 1.30-4pm, followed by a networking reception from 4-5.30pm.

We are pleased to invite you to our annual JLGC Seminar, which will explore practical approaches to crisis management and local preparedness, featuring leading urban resilience practitioners from Japan and the UK.

2025 marked the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, a disaster that reshaped Japan’s approach to crisis preparedness and local resilience. The 1995 earthquake was a turning point that demonstrated the importance of emergency coordination, infrastructure resilience and community response.

In the decades since, Japan has enhanced its disaster management systems – investing in resilient infrastructure, upgrading early warning systems and evacuation protocols and embedding community-level preparedness into everyday practice. Kobe’s recovery journey, in addition to its development of flood-resilient infrastructure following major flooding events, offers a case study for how local governments can build resilient communities.

The programme for the afternoon, chaired by Heather Jameson (Editor, The MJ), will feature speakers from both Japan and the UK, representing organisations including Kobe City Government, London Resilience and Newcastle City Council, with further contributors to be announced.

This seminar offers the opportunity for UK local government colleagues to engage with Japanese practitioners, compare approaches and explore practical innovations relevant to their own challenges.

We hope you will join us for an engaging and valuable afternoon.

To register ➡️ here.