62125    Preparation of manuals alone is not useful in real situations.

62126    Another important thing is to develop "horizontal" networks and maintain them.

62127    In the Tokyo metropolitan area, seven jurisdictions including Tokyo have entered into an agreement concerning the mutual support at the time of natural disasters.

62128    Nationwide, twelve cities including Kobe have a mutual support agreement for water supply, but the agreement did not mean much to the victims who suffered from water shortage.

62129    More closely knit networks at a lower level within municipalities to support one another are needed.

62130    For example, wards and the neighboring municipalities could put in a support system among themselves.

62131    How should daily necessities including water and food be delivered?

62132    Questions like this should be discussed and refined among the municipalities.

62133    It is a matter of course to provide the residents with the details of such system in full.

62134    In times of disaster, the chain of command is vertical: Tokyo will give directions to wards and cities.

62135    If the concerned municipalities are familiar with one another down to the narrow back roads and know how they will conduct the rescue operation in times of disaster, then it will be helpful when the time does come.

62136    A very few systems of this sort exist among wards and municipalities.

62137    We want them to be created several times over.