Mitsui Fudosan Group Further Strengthens Hard and Soft Aspects of Disaster Response Capabilities for Office Buildings in 10 Years Since Great East Japan Earthquak

Hard aspects include promoting BCP investment and construction of energy systems, while soft aspects include strengthening community disaster prevention andhuman resource development, and improving on-site capabilities to handle all types of emergencies

March 5, 2021
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Tokyo, Japan, March 5, 2021 – Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., a leading global real estate company headquartered in Tokyo, announced today that it believes office buildings must not simply exist as workplaces, but as spaces that promise a high level of sustainability (continuity and BCP) and safety and security to tenant companies and nearby residents from the perspective of disaster prevention. Specifically, in the 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in 2011, Mitsui Fudosan has strengthened both the hard and soft aspects of the entire Group’s disaster response capabilities.

In recent years, the possibility of compound disasters has been increasing, given factors such as the rise in natural disasters and the spread of infectious diseases. Mitsui Fudosan will continue to improve on-site capabilities to handle all types of emergencies by strengthening countermeasures from both hard and soft aspects.

In the lead-up to the 10-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Mitsui Fudosan has declared Monday, March 8 to Thursday, March 18 to be Mitsui Office & Disaster Prevention Week and will present tenant staff and visitors with initiatives to improve disaster response capabilities at Mitsui Fudosan’s offices.

Mitsui Fudosan promotes the creation of neighborhoods that are safe, secure, resilient and resistant to disasters, thereby contributing to the SDGs and the realization of a sustainable society.

Key Points of This Press Release

< Main initiatives to improve disaster response capabilities up to now >

• In the 5 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake up to 2016, invested nearly ¥20.0 billion in approx. 60 existing buildings for disaster prevention and BCP
• Since 2016, has continued working on measures to contribute to various kinds of safety and security as a developer responsible for neighborhood creation, such as projects to supply electricity and heat through medium-pressure gas and holding large-scale disaster prevention events in collaboration with municipal governments and local residents

< Main initiatives to further improve disaster response capabilities in the future >

• Simulate all types of emergencies such as disasters compounded by infectious diseases or wind and water-related disasters, and continue strengthening initiatives to improve disaster response capabilities from both hard and soft aspects
• In terms of soft aspects, opened the Mitsui Fudosan Technical Academy, a research facility for building management aimed at improving technical capabilities during normal times and practical capabilities during emergencies, in July 2020, and steadily carried out human resource development as well as imparting technical capabilities
• During Mitsui Office & Disaster Prevention Week, will hold events to help raise awareness about disaster prevention among tenant staff through remote environments at its company office in the Nihonbashi area

< Main initiatives to improve disaster response capabilities up to now >

The Great East Japan Earthquake left many people stranded with no way home and exposed the vulnerabilities of urban functions. At the same time, it highlighted the necessity to prepare for an earthquake that will directly hit the Tokyo area, which is predicted to occur in the future. For this reason, Mitsui Fudosan invested nearly ¥20.0 billion related to BCP in approx. 60 existing buildings managed by the Company in the 5 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake from fiscal 2012 to 2016. In specific terms, Mitsui Fudosan improved the seismic performance of elevators, increased the operating time of emergency generators to 72 hours, introduced a damage assessment system*, and enhanced emergency stockpiles, among other things. In particular, Mitsui Fudosan is mainly working on the measures listed below in the Nihonbashi area.
* Damage assessment system: Capable of assessing the condition of disasters that last more than the typical length of several days in approx. 10 minutes

(1) Nihonbashi & Toyosu Smart Energy Projects
Mitsui Fudosan started the Nihonbashi Smart Energy Project in April 2019. By supplying electricity and heat to existing buildings with a total floor space of approx. 10.8 million ft2 (approx. 1 million m2), including Mitsui Fudosan’s office, using power generators via medium-pressure gas, Mitsui Fudosan is helping to raise the energy resilience of the entire neighborhood. Outside the Nihonbashi area, it started the Toyosu Smart Energy Project in April 2020 in which it is conducting a similar electricity and heat supply project in the Toyosu area as well.

Nihonbashi Energy Center

(2) Held disaster prevention events focused on the Nihonbashi area featuring participation by municipal governments and residents
Based on a mentality of mutual assistance in coexistence with the community, the Mitsui Fudosan Group recognizes its important role of properly supporting local residents and people stranded with no way home during disasters. It continually enacts policies to help improve regional disaster prevention capabilities, such as conducting periodic training to shelter people who are stranded with no way home and holding disaster prevention events in collaboration with municipal governments and local residents.

<Initiatives to further improve disaster response capabilities in the future >

In recent years, the possibility of compound disasters, given factors such as a rise in natural disasters and the spread of infectious diseases, has been increasing. Amid these conditions, Mitsui Fudosan will continue to improve on-site capabilities to handle all types of emergencies by strengthening countermeasures from both hard and soft aspects.

(1) Improving energy resilience and developing human resources based on the regional characteristics of each area
In terms of hard aspects, in order to improve the disaster response capabilities of the entire neighborhood, Mitsui Fudosan also plans to implement a smart city project (supplying electricity and heat), like those being developed in Nihonbashi and Toyosu, in the Yaesu area in the future, and continue to raise the energy resilience of communities.

In terms of soft aspects, Mitsui Fudosan opened the Mitsui Fudosan Technical Academy, a research facility for building management, in July 2020, and is working on developing on-site human resources to handle building management and countermeasures during emergencies. More than 30 types of training, which simulate the various problems that occur in actual buildings, are repeatedly conducted in order to improve technical capabilities during normal times and practical capabilities during emergencies that are required for building management. This training improves skills that hone the 5 senses and strengthens on-site capabilities.

(2) Making preparations that envision all types of emergencies
Mitsui Fudosan is making various efforts to respond not only to natural disasters but all types of emergencies. In concrete terms, in order to prepare for an earthquake during the COVID-19 pandemic and safely shelter people stranded with no way home at company facilities, it compiles manuals based on the guidelines of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and conducts training for sheltering them using stockpiled goods to prevent the spread of infection. Mitsui Fudosan is fully preparing for the compound disaster of a pandemic and earthquake by, for instance, maintaining ample distance between stranded persons, setting up spaces reserved for those suspected of being infected with COVID-19, and preventing the spread of infection among staff in charge of the shelter.

(3) Raising disaster prevention awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic
Mitsui Fudosan believes that it plays the important role of widely communicating the importance of disaster prevention measures learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake to building tenants and visitors even during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will conduct events to raise disaster prevention awareness through panel exhibitions or online based on the spread of infection.

■ Mitsui Fudosan Group’s contribution to SDGs

https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/esg_csr/
The Mitsui Fudosan Group aims for a society that enriches both people and the planet under the principles of coexist in harmony with society, link diverse values and achieve a sustainable society, and advances business with an awareness of the environment (E), society (S) and governance (G), thus promoting ESG management. By further accelerating its ESG management, the Group will realize Society 5.0, which the Japanese government has been advocating, and contribute significantly to achieving the SDGs.

*The initiatives covered in this press release are contributing to three of the UN's SDGs.