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On the evening of the 29th, four candidates for the Hyogo Prefectural gubernatorial election (announced on October 31st, voting on November 17th) held a public debate on the topic of "how to reflect the voices of those involved in disaster prevention policies." Each candidate presented their own experiences and specific policy proposals, emphasizing the importance of disaster prevention policies that involve the participation of those involved. Dr. Yoshikiyo Osawa said, "The principle of democracy is to respect the opinions of those involved and to have a decision-making process that reflects minority opinions," and proposed a system in which cities and towns provide detailed support during disasters and the prefecture backs them up financially. He pointed out the need for support based on specific cases, such as support for medical equipment users during power outages. Former Amagasaki Mayor Kazumi Inamura introduced the efforts of Amagasaki City, which has established a "Women's Division" in disaster prevention meetings to reflect women's and diverse opinions, such as what to do about infants and young children. He said, "It is important to reflect diverse opinions in the community and to create disaster prevention plans with the participation of residents," and emphasized that guidelines are created together with those involved and are also used in disaster prevention training. Takayuki Shimizu, a member of the House of Councillors, stated his opinion that "maintaining the community in evacuation sites is important" based on his experience as a TV reporter during the Great East Japan Earthquake, and mentioned the need for measures to prevent lonely and isolated deaths. He emphasized that we need to learn from past disasters and develop policies based on the needs of the field. Former Governor Motohiko Saito, citing the Noto Peninsula earthquake as an example, stated that he has established a study group and thoroughly discussed strengthening new disaster prevention capabilities. He also stated that "consideration is needed for children with developmental disabilities, people with severe disabilities, and sexual minorities," and expressed his intention to aim for the smooth operation of evacuation centers while listening to the voices of those involved. From the comments of each candidate, it is expected that the next governor of Hyogo Prefecture, which is considered a leader in disaster prevention, will promote policies that reflect the voices of various parties involved. Participants (in alphabetical order, titles omitted): Kazumi Inamura (former mayor of Amagasaki) Yoshikiyo Osawa (doctor) Motohiko Saito (former governor of Hyogo Prefecture) Takayuki Shimizu (House of Councillors member) *This video is an excerpt from the debate. Watch the full debate here: https://www.youtube.com/live/zGtIUISsGOo ■Subscribe to the channel: https://yahoo.jp/zaoidV ■List of THE PAGE articles: https://yahoo.jp/A5sxYP ■Yahoo!News Original: https://yahoo.jp/7a5omo #thepage_jp #HyogoPrefecture #HyogoPrefecturalGovernorElection