House Proposes Adopting Japanese Earthquake Detection System

RRI.CO.ID, Surabaya – Member of Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR) Sriyanto Saputro has called for improvements to Indonesia’s earthquake early warning and detection system so that its reliability can match that of the country’s tsunami warning system. He said the government needs to make every effort to upgrade technology and strengthen disaster detection capabilities to minimize casualties.

"Overall, I think our tsunami preparedness is already good. But we want to go further. To this day, what we have not yet perfected is earthquake detection. Our capabilities have not reached that level, but we need to continue pushing for improvements," Sriyanto said during a DPR visit to a maritime meteorological station in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday, August 28, 2026.

Sriyanto, of the President Prabowo Subianto-led Gerindra Party, stressed that the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) should not hesitate to cooperate with or adopt technologies from countries that have advanced disaster mitigation capabilities. He specifically cited Japan as an example of a country with highly capable earthquake detection facilities.

"If we need to learn from a country such as Japan and use equipment that can help detect earthquakes, then the government needs to be fully involved. I don't think there is a problem if it requires funding," he said, as quoted from the House's website.

To achieve this, Sriyanto assured that the DPR is ready to provide full support through institutional budget allocations. He said improving geophysical facilities and infrastructure should be viewed as a crucial long-term investment in the safety of Indonesians living in earthquake-prone areas.

Japan has long used a comprehensive earthquake detection system called the Earthquake Early Warning (EEW). The system sends earthquake alerts when an earthquake reaches a certain magnitude, which can then be quickly disseminated to the public through various media.

Developed by the Japan Meteorological Administration (JMA), the system allows people to prepare for earthquake shaking even before tremors are felt in a particular location. It is also directly connected to high-speed railway networks and gas pipelines to minimize the potential negative impacts of earthquakes.