Indonesia's Kominfo Adopts Japan's Disaster Early Warning System

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The early warning system (EWS) broadcast scheme via digital devices being developed by Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo) draws inspiration from Japan's long-established system. In addition to SMS blasts, the system also utilizes digital TV broadcasts to disseminate early disaster notifications.

Japan's national EWS, J-Alert, launched in 2007, employs a multi-channel approach to inform citizens about disasters. Through television broadcasts, radio, cellphones, email, and even speakers spread across cities, the Japanese government can promptly report on earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, and even national threats, such as missile attacks. 

As outlined in the Japan Living Guide on September 2, 2024, this technology is also designed to provide timely alerts to anticipate national threats, such as missiles from other countries. 

Over time, Japan has enhanced its EWS through the integration of supercomputers, weather satellites, and radar. Hydrometeorological data from 1,300 stations across the country is collected and processed efficiently by the Japan Meteorological Agency's system.

The sophistication of the EWS system was demonstrated in 2015 when Japan successfully predicted the arrival of a typhoon two weeks in advance. This achievement was attributed to Fukagu, a supercomputer equipped with a 3D prediction model.

A study conducted by the World Economic Forum revealed that J-Alert has significantly reduced the potential for fatalities by 97 percent. Moreover, the threat of economic losses due to disasters has been diminished by 21 percent, as evidenced by a comparison between Japan's disaster management in 2020 and the 1950-1960 period. Despite its effectiveness, J-Alert currently only provides messages in Japanese.

In light of the commitments made at the COP28 Climate Change Summit in Dubai in December 2023, the EWS system is becoming increasingly crucial for all countries. The climate forum included initiatives to develop EWS globally by 2027, and to date, at least 101 countries have implemented such systems.

Digital TV-Based EWS Design

Marvels Parsaroan Situmorang, Director of Broadband Development at the Kominfo Ministry, has previously expressed the ministry's intention to broadcast disaster notifications on digital television screens, similar to Japan's approach. “Just like in Japan, standby TVs can immediately broadcast early warnings,” he said during a media briefing at the ministry's office on August 2, 2024.

The Kominfo Ministry planned to collaborate with national television broadcasters, TVRI and MNC Group, to implement the EWS system via TV broadcasts. The ministry expected to begin testing this system in September 2024. 

Marvels emphasized that early warnings would only be broadcast in the affected areas, urging the public to register their TV with the correct postal code to receive relevant alerts.

Editor's Note: The title has been changed, previously it was "Kominfo Adopts Japan's Disaster Early Warning System."

BAYU MENTARI | FAUZI IBRAHIM

Editor's Choice: Indonesian Regions with Megathrust Zones; Beware of Earthquakes and Tsunamis

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News