Japanology Plus

Hello, and welcome to Japanology Plus.

That is an optical illusion,
and you can probably tell.

But it gives an idea about today's theme,
which is firefighting.

This year has been one of the hottest
summers that I, for one, can remember.

And wildfires have been
very much in the news.

Some forest fires have natural causes.

Others can be started by anything

as seemingly insignificant
as a dropped cigarette butt;

human negligence can
be a major factor in fires.

In cities, new building materials
are having an influence

on how fires are handled.

On today's program
we'll be taking a look at

the latest developments
in firefighting in Japan.

Firefighting

A blaze at an oil refinery.

A forest fire.

A burning skyscraper.

And a fire in a packed
residential district.

36,000 fires occur in Japan each year.

And there are 170,000
professional firefighters.

That's the second highest
in the world, after the US.

Firefighters use a variety of vehicles
developed in Japan, for different tasks.

This one has a basket on a ladder,
with an articulated joint.

It can avoid obstacles
such as power lines.

The platform is wheelchair accessible,

which can be important when rescuing
people from high-rise buildings.

This vehicle doesn't look like
a traditional fire engine.

What's more, it doesn't even use water.

But it does put out fires,
with NEA: nitrogen-enriched air.

The truck extracts nitrogen from
the air and pumps it into the room,

lowering the oxygen concentration
from 21 to 12 percent.

This extinguishes the flames.

The technology was developed following the
Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995.

The quake sparked electrical fires
while disrupting the water supply,

so water wasn't available
to many firefighters.

This inspired the development
of a water-free method.

It took nine years
to make the idea a reality.

The system is useful
in libraries or data centers,

where water itself might cause damage.

These fire engines are the first
of their kind in the world.

Finally, robotic firefighting equipment
with state-of-the-art AI.

A drone scouts the scene from above.

A vehicle uses information from the drone

to calculate the best position
from which to spray water.

It can fight fires from up
to 75 meters away,

making it useful in situations where
humans cannot safely approach.

This equipment was made
especially for use

at one of Japan's biggest oil refineries.

These are just some of the many
firefighting vehicles

developed in Japan for various tasks.

Hello, good morning.

Hi. Thanks for having me.

Our guest is Professor Nagata Shozo.

He specializes in the administration
of disaster mitigation,

with a focus on firefighting.

This is a fire station
in Aichi Prefecture.

Unusually,
it's completely open to visitors.

I can think of at least three fire
stations of different sizes

within a fairly close
distance of my house.

Is that typical?

Well, you live
in Tokyo's central 23 wards.

So that's a special case.

But in total, there are around
1,700 fire stations in Japan.

And those stations are operated
by fire departments,

which are organized
by the local municipality.

There are around 700 of those.

In Japan,

fire stations direct both firefighting
and emergency medical services.

Oh, this is a big one.

- Hello, good morning.
- Hello.

You certainly have a lot
of fire engines here,

and they're all lined up...well,
one's going out now.

I can see that every single one
of these looks a bit different.

Yes, and each one has a different role.

This one's known as a “chemical engine.”

Chemical. Yep.

It is equipped with water.

But when oil or other dangerous
materials are involved,

this truck also has foam
that puts out the flames.

That's a feature of this one.

And what else have we got here?

This one's a rescue.

Yes.

This one is a rescue vehicle.

Unlike the previous model,
this truck doesn't carry water.

Instead, it has rescue equipment.

What kind of tools does this one have?

Let me open the shutter and show you.

Oh, OK. Yes.

This is a circular saw.

It cuts through steel,
concrete, and so on.

This one's really heavy.

It's a hydraulic tool used for cutting,
crushing, and similar tasks.

OK.

Now, a truck with a ladder.

Right.

It can extend up to 40 meters.

So now we're going to extend
the ladder fully for you.

OK.

That is a long way up.
That's 40 meters, is it?

Yes, 40 meters.

Wow.

It can reach around 13 stories up.

OK.

Is that about the biggest that they get?

In Japan, some go beyond
50 meters—even higher than this one.

Wow.

In 1932, a large fire broke out
in a Japanese department store.

It became clear that access to high places
would lead to more lives being saved.

So fire trucks with ladders
were developed.

Is it necessary to have so many
different types of fire engines?

It's true that, in other countries,

you may see a single vehicle that combines
firefighting and rescue equipment.

I think that's common.

But in Japan, we have a tradition
of specialization, I think.

We improve vehicles' specific
uses and capabilities.

And when it comes to dealing
with an emergency,

vehicles with different special
features are used in combination

to tackle the situation.

That's how the system works in Japan.

As I mentioned a moment ago,
all of these are different.

Are they all custom made?

Yes, and they differ widely,
depending on local requirements.

For example, Tokyo has
a lot of tall buildings.

Mmm.

So they need fire trucks
with 50-meter ladders.

Many remote islands
and mountainous regions, meanwhile,

have very narrow roads.

Only small- or medium-sized
fire engines will fit,

so that's what they tend to use.

In coastal areas, you might even
find amphibious fire engines.

That's an extreme example
of specialization.

Organized firefighting began
in the 17th century.

In Edo, now Tokyo,

wooden buildings were crammed
together, and fires were common.

Firefighting techniques were limited,
and fire hoses weren't an option.

So instead, surrounding buildings
were destroyed to create a firebreak.

Samurai firefighters tackled
fires in samurai residences.

Community firefighters put
out fires in all other buildings.

These community groups evolved into
the volunteer fire associations of today.

Volunteer firefighters
are not professionals.

They're shopkeepers, farmers,
and other local residents.

They respond to fires or disasters
that occur nearby.

Across Japan, these groups work
alongside official fire departments.

However, this long-held
practice is under threat.

In the mid-20th century, Japan had
around two million volunteer firefighters.

Now, there are fewer than 800,000,

and many organizations
are struggling to survive.

Preserving firefighting capabilities
has become an urgent issue across Japan.

Here's our next stop.

It's a facility maintained by
a volunteer fire association.

Here we are.

A typical building for
a volunteer association.

Except for that traditional watchtower.

They were used to spot
fires in the old days.

Oh, but we're going back to the middle
of the 19th century now, aren't we?

Yes, a long time ago.

That tower is a special
feature of this building.

So why is it hard to get volunteers now?

In the past, the members
of these organizations

spent most of their time somewhere
or other in the local area.

Farmers, shopkeepers, and so on.

Nowadays, things have changed.

Many people work in an office.

And office workers tend to commute.

They spend their working day
away from their neighborhood.

If a fire breaks out during
that time, they can't respond.

You never know when
a fire's going to occur,

so if a fire does happen,
and people are not there,

then there's no really...there's no point
in having the voluntary association.

Right.

So is there a danger that these
associations could get completely lost?

People thought
that official fire departments

would one day handle everything.

But after the disasters in 1995 and 2011,

the essential value
of volunteers became clear.

In what way?

Say a house collapses
with people trapped inside.

Local volunteers may well know
where the bedrooms are, for example.

And people were actually
found and rescued that way.

That clarified exactly how useful it is

to have volunteer fire associations
with local knowledge.

So the national government is working
to stop the decline in members

and increase their numbers
through various initiatives.

One recent success story has
been the increase in women

who participate in volunteer
fire associations.

Really?

Yes.

Let's meet some women who serve
as volunteer firefighters.

Hello.

Hello.

Are you an all-female group?

Yes. There are ten of us, all women.

OK, and what kind of activities
are you generally involved in?

We focus on outreach, which
our male colleagues tend not to do.

Ah, OK.

For example, we visit people
aged 75 and over who live alone,

and educate them about safety
measures in their own homes.

Do you actually get involved
in firefighting at some times?

In our town, female volunteers
don't go directly to the scene of a fire.

When a fire breaks out,
we might help direct traffic.

Or do other things like that.

In 1990, there were only around
2,000 female volunteers in Japan.

Now, there are 30,000.

Since joining our group,
she got married and had a child.

And she still participates in our work.

She's a fantastic colleague.

I thought it would
be difficult with a baby.

But everybody helps me,
so I've been able to continue.

I joined a long time ago,

because I wanted to help my community
if there was ever a fire or an earthquake.

That was my initial motivation.

After I started, I realized there aren't
many serious emergencies in our area.

But it's still important to be prepared.

So I continued working with the team.

Everybody, thank you very much.

Thank you!

Hello everyone, and welcome to Plus One.
I'm Kyle Card.

Now seeing as today's
theme is firefighting,

I'm going to be reporting on
a very special building material

that apparently can self-extinguish
if it catches on fire.

Now I have no idea how any of this works,
but it sounds quite innovative.

Let's go check it out.

A company building in Tokyo.

Hello!

Hello.

Oh wow.

Well, the truth is,
I actually heard

that you make some fire
extinguishing building goods here.

Is that correct?

- It is. This way.
- Really? Oh, OK.

This is the material right here.

I'm sorry, that just looks
like a couple of pieces of paper.

Yes, it does look like paper.

But it can put out a fire.

Really?

What is the mechanism that makes
this fire extinguishing possible?

Well, if it's heated to
over 300 degrees Celsius,

it emits an aerosol
of potassium compounds.

And that aerosol will extinguish a fire.

That's how this works.

Is there any way I can see this in action?

Certainly.

Here are some panels.

That is so thin.

I'd have to see it
to believe it, actually.

Let's take a look!

Alright.

We started this fire using gasoline.

Gas? Wow, OK.

They're really burning it, eh?

Yes.

The material reacts and emits an aerosol.

Oh yeah, it's super smoky.

The material doesn't contain
nitrogen compounds,

so it doesn't emit any toxic
or dangerous gases itself.

And now the fire's out.

So in 30 seconds it's out. That's amazing.

This is truly an innovation.

So what types of application do you think

is available for this type
of product in the future?

It can be used in many types of buildings.

For example, shrines and temples
that house National Treasures.

Or care homes, hospitals, and other places
where evacuation is difficult.

It can be applied there too.

And one day, I hope it will
be used in regular homes.

What's more, electric vehicles,
cell phones,

and other battery-powered devices
can also use the material.

On the left is a regular battery.

The one on the right
includes our material.

You can see what happens
when they're pierced with a nail.

Since its discovery,

fire has been mankind's greatest
friend, and greatest enemy.

But with products like these,

it is my hope we can continue
to protect our homes,

businesses and
important cultural properties

when we find ourselves on fire's bad side.

Japanology Plus

So where are we now?

This is a training facility,

where professional firefighters learn how
to respond to fires and other disasters.

Oh.

So what's going on here?

Hello.

Hello.

So what kind of training's going on now?

The setup we have here simulates
a steep mountainside.

We're doing a drill where
we practice rescuing someone

who's stuck at the bottom.

OK. So it's not just
about putting out fires.

That's right.

Fire departments have
a team that puts out fires,

a team that conducts rescue operations,
and a team of paramedics.

And is this the sort of rescue that
would actually take place for real?

Kyoto is surrounded
by mountains on three sides,

so we conduct a lot of mountain rescues.

Every year, people fall down
mountain slopes and need saving.

The equipment and training programs
differ around the country,

depending on the requirements
in each region.

And is this all related
to your training as well?

Yes. This is an earthquake training site.

After an earthquake,
buildings may collapse,

and here we've recreated that situation.

We use this area to practice rescuing
people who may be trapped inside.

There's very little room, so it's
difficult to maneuver and pull people out.

This is where we learn
how to tackle fires.

We light a real fire using
wood and other materials,

then practice extinguishing the flames.

We also practice rescuing people in need.

OK. The ceiling and the walls
and everything are totally black.

And...this must be...I mean,
if you start a fire in here,

obviously you have to control it,
but it must be quite dangerous.

Of course, trainees wear fireproof
clothing, helmets, and respirators.

They're able to breathe as they work

because they have
an air tank on their back.

The temperature reaches
around 600 degrees Celsius.

Whoa.

Trainees stay low to the
ground because it's so hot.

They observe how the flames develop.

Modern building materials
burn less easily,

so the large fires we saw in the past
have become quite uncommon.

There are also fewer
fires overall, in fact.

One consequence of this is
that younger firefighters

can't easily get real-life
experience fighting large fires.

That's actually becoming
a significant issue.

It's a bit ironic,
but it's a problem in terms of training.

A specialized nonprofit offers optional
training to young firefighters

who are eager to acquire
additional practical skills.

Eleven of them gathered
from around the country

for this three-day course,
paying for it themselves.

I feel that my generation, in particular,

has a lack of experience
in dealing with large fires.

We have the knowledge,

and this course offers us a chance to link
that knowledge with practical skills.

That's why I'm here.

Let's have a look at one
of the training exercises.

Participants observe
how building materials burn,

how flames spread, and how smoke moves.

They see first-hand how dangerous it is
when flames spread across the ceiling.

They're also shown how best to
put out a fire using a fire hose.

The task isn't as simple as it seems.

If water is applied incorrectly,
the fire can actually get worse.

And the approach also differs depending on

whether people are still
trapped inside the building.

Modern building design may make it more
difficult to spray water in from outside.

It's often necessary
to enter the building.

So this training is important for
learning how to fight fires indoors.

I've learned how to judge the condition
of a fire, and adjust my approach.

I want to take that back to my workplace,

and help develop a standardized system.

Firefighters are constantly improving

the speed, precision, and safety
of firefighting and rescue operations.

It's impressive how they train for
a lot of different eventualities.

The most desirable scenario is

if trainees repeatedly participate
in realistic exercises,

led by instructors
with first-hand experience.

That's vital.

Some fire departments even conduct
training sessions inside real buildings

that are about to be demolished.

That's a relatively new form of training.

Hmm.

Coming back to wildfires...

there's been a lot of them this year.

I mean, there's been a lot
for quite a lot of years now,

but several come to mind. Really big
wildfires that were just uncontrollable.

You don't hear about them in Japan.

I'm sure they must occur, but why
don't we hear more about them?

I'd say there are two main reasons,

and the first involves the climate.

Japan has a very high level of humidity.

So compared to countries where
forest fires happen frequently,

conditions aren't as dry.

I think that's a major factor.

The second factor I'd mention
is that in Japan,

I think we have well-established systems
for managing forests in the mountains.

That seems important, too.

For example, trees are spaced out
to make the spread of fire more difficult.

Another measure is planting
trees that burn less easily.

So if a fire does break out,
it doesn't spread.

OK. Well that's a bit of a relief to hear.

Japan's humidity is not one
of my favorite topics,

but if we're getting relief
from fires on account of it,

then perhaps one should
value it a little bit more.

Perhaps!

Looking ahead,

one potential improvement involves
the volunteer fire associations.

They could aim to be a sort of specialized
group that responds to disasters.

Like a task force.

That's one possibility.

Volunteer firefighters come
from various occupations

and have expertise
in many different fields.

So members could choose roles
based on their unique qualities,

instead of everyone sharing
the same responsibilities.

That kind of approach.

OK, thank you very much.

Thank you.