Earthquakes remain among the world's most devastating natural disasters, causing massive loss of life, infrastructure damage, and economic disruption. Governments must collect accurate information, coordinate multiple agencies, mobilize resources, and make rapid decisions under extreme pressure. While advances in artificial intelligence (AI), big data, geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, drones, and digital early warning systems have transformed disaster management, their effectiveness depends largely on governance rather than technology itself.
To investigate this relationship, the researchers conducted a comparative qualitative case study examining four major earthquakes: the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and the 2022 Luding Earthquake in China, alongside the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake in Japan. China and Japan were selected because both face significant seismic risks and have heavily invested in digital disaster management, yet they operate under different governance systems.
Rather than comparing technological sophistication alone, the study explored how digital governance strengthens a government's emergency capacity. The researchers focused on four essential dimensions of state capacity:
- Information-gathering capacity
- Coordination capacity
- Resource mobilization capacity
- Implementation capacity
The findings show that digital technologies do not directly improve disaster management outcomes. Instead, they enhance governments' ability to gather information, coordinate organizations, allocate resources, and implement emergency measures through digital government infrastructure and governance mechanisms. In other words, technology becomes effective only when supported by capable institutions and efficient governance.
The study identifies four major contributions of digital governance to emergency management:
- Real-time monitoring through satellites, drones, sensors, and mobile communication data improves situational awareness.
- Integrated digital platforms strengthen coordination among emergency agencies, local governments, healthcare providers, and security services.
- Data-driven analysis enables faster and more efficient allocation of rescue personnel and resources.
- Digital communication systems support quicker implementation of emergency policies and operational decisions.
Although both countries have developed advanced digital disaster management systems, their approaches differ significantly.
China emphasizes centralized coordination and nationwide resource mobilization. Following the Wenchuan Earthquake, the country established integrated emergency management platforms, national early warning systems, and digital command centers. During the Luding Earthquake, authorities used drones, satellite imagery, GIS, and big data analytics to assess damage, identify priority areas, and coordinate rescue operations across multiple administrative levels.
Japan, meanwhile, prioritizes automated early warning systems, local preparedness, and community resilience. Its Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system and J-Alert network distribute alerts nationwide within seconds, allowing transportation systems, public facilities, and citizens to respond immediately. Decades of disaster education and community preparedness programs have further strengthened Japan's resilience to earthquakes.
According to the researchers, neither governance model is universally superior. China demonstrates remarkable strength in centralized coordination and large-scale resource mobilization, while Japan excels in automated warning systems, public participation, and disaster preparedness. The study suggests that combining the strengths of both approaches could produce a more effective and resilient emergency management system.
Based on these findings, the authors propose an Integrated Digital Emergency Governance Model. The framework combines five interconnected components:
- Automated multi-channel early warning systems.
- Unified digital government platforms.
- Integration of AI, big data, GIS, drones, satellites, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.
- Real-time situational awareness through integrated data sources.
- Community resilience supported by disaster education, volunteer networks, and preparedness programs.
The implications extend far beyond China and Japan. For countries vulnerable to earthquakes, including Indonesia, investing in digital technology alone is insufficient. Governments must also strengthen institutional coordination, establish integrated data-sharing mechanisms, improve interagency collaboration, and educate communities on disaster preparedness. The researchers also recommend expanding the use of emerging technologies such as digital twins, AI-assisted decision support, and advanced situational awareness platforms to shift disaster management from reactive emergency response toward proactive risk reduction and resilience building.
As Medvedeva Nadezda and Artamonova Anastasiia conclude, digital transformation improves disaster management not because technology replaces human decision-making, but because it strengthens governments' capacity to respond quickly, coordinate effectively, and protect lives. In their framework, state capacity serves as the critical bridge connecting technological innovation with successful emergency governance.
Author Profile
Medvedeva Nadezda is a researcher at Zhejiang Gongshang University, China, specializing in public governance, state capacity, and emergency management.
Artamonova Anastasiia is a researcher at Zhejiang Gongshang University, China, whose expertise includes digital governance, digital government, state capacity, and emergency management. She served as the corresponding author of this study.
Research Source
Article Title: Enhancing State Emergency Capacity through Digital Governance: Comparative Evidence from Earthquake Disaster Management in China and Japan
Journal: Indonesian Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR)
Volume: 5, Issue 7
Publication Year: 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijar.v5i7.16833
Official Journal Website: https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/ijar
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