The earthquake proved to be a major wake-up call for Japanese disaster prevention authorities . Japan installed rubber blocks under bridges to absorb the shock and rebuilt buildings further apart to prevent collateral damage . The national government changed its disaster response policies in the wake of the earthquake , and its response to the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake was significantly faster and more effective . The Ground Self-Defense Forces were given automatic authority to respond to earthquakes over a certain magnitude , which allowed them to deploy to the Niigata region within minutes . Control over fire response was likewise handed over from local fire departments to a central command base in Tokyo and Kyoto
2004 Chūetsu earthquake
2004 Chūetsu earthquake
Great Hanshin earthquake