Why earthquake-prone Japan wants to set up a second capital

6 min readNew DelhiJul 30, 2026 08:02 PM IST Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on July 28 following an earthquake in Kumamoto in the southern Kyushu islands (credit: Kyodo News via AP)An earthquake with a magnitude initially recorded at 7.1 struck the southern Kumamoto prefecture (similar to a state) in Japan on July 28. Days ago, Japan passed the secondary capital Bill in the upper house of Parliament, a law that shows how the city continues to adapt to the frequent earthquakes it faces. Passed on July 24, this legislation allows the Prime Minister to designate a prefecture (fulfilling certain criteria) to serve vital government operations and administrative functions should Tokyo be subject to a major disaster with the ability to paralyse the city