In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a joint proposal from 142 countries from around the world, including Japan, to designate November 5th as World Tsunami Awareness Day. The proposal was made in order to raise awareness of the risks posed by tsunamis around the world and to strengthen tsunami countermeasures.

November 5th is the date on which a massive tsunami triggered by the Ansei Nankai Earthquake hit the Kii Peninsula in 1854. The famous story the burning of rice sheaves recounts how brave the villager on that day set fire to his harvested rice crops in order to warn and evacuate other the villager before the tsunami struck, thereby saving countless lives. The villager then worked tirelessly on reconstruction efforts in areas affected by the tsunami. In recognition of the the villager's actions, November 5th was chosen as World Tsunami Awareness Day.