
What to Do in an Earthquake in Japan
Disaster
An earthquake is coming, what should you do? What are the survival skills you need to survive an earthquake in Japan? How do you stay informed on earthquake-related news? In terms of countermeasures for earthquakes in Japan, we’ve researched and selected useful guidelines on what you should do in an earthquake. Without further ado, let Smiles share with you earthquake preparation hacks in Japan.
What to Do in an Earthquake in Japan?
1. What do you do when you’re outside during an earthquake?
When you are outside during an earthquake, take note of the countermeasures shown below. Being outside includes being at school or work, in an elevator, on a bus or train and includes driving your car during the tremble. They are suggested in the Disaster Prevention Handbook by the International Relations Bureau of Fukuoka Prefecture.
2. What do you do when you’re at home during an earthquake?
When you are at home during an earthquake, it’s important to stay calm and keep yourself safe. There are some simple ways to prepare yourself for the shaking when you’re at your humble abode such as preparing emergency items including a first-aid kit, flashlight, water, canned goods, flashlight and a solar-powered radio. Take a look below at some of the countermeasures suggested in the Disaster Prevention Handbook by the International Relations Bureau of Fukuoka Prefecture.
3. What do you do when you have to evacuate?
In case you find yourself in a dangerous situation, take a look at the following steps to evacuate due to an earthquake:
- Bring along the earthquake bag (地震キット) with you before leaving the house
Disaster Preparedness Set for 1 Person
¥5,480Click to buy on Amazon
防災キット
¥16,500Click to buy on Rakuten
- Wait until the tremors have settled down to step outside
- Beware of falling objects outside of the building or your home
- Call out to the people around you and help each other
- If your home is not safe, go to an evacuation site. You can check the nearest evacuation site near your home by checking the residence guide provided by your city hall, asking the city hall staff, or checking your city’s evacuation site map. Here’s the Tokyo Metropolitan map for evacuation sites in Tokyo.
- If you live near a body of water like a river, check to see if your area is more or less likely to be hazardous if a tsunami approaches. You can check for flood risk levels on hazard maps on your city’s to show the levels of risk in certain areas in case of floods. Here is a hazard map for the Tokyo area.
4. How do you stay updated on earthquake information?
If you want to keep yourself up-to-date on earthquakes occurring in Japan, take a look at the resources we discovered below:
Resources |
Link |
|
1 |
For Tokyo residents: A natural disaster preparation guide provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government |
|
2 |
NHK-World Japan’s English Emergency Update |
|
3 |
Japan Meteorological Agency: |
|
4 |
Real-time Earthquake Alert Channel for Japan |
|
5 |
Earthquake preparation guide for foreign residents |
|
6 |
Safety Tips: a phone application for iOS and Android for disaster prevention in Japan |
Smiles hopes that the information and countermeasures above are helpful in keeping you and your loved ones safe during earthquakes in Japan.
REFERENCES
Still wondering what to do in an earthquake in Japan? Here are some references for earthquake countermeasures from some regions in Japan.
- Disaster Prevention Information – Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Japanese)
- Disaster Prevention Information – Tokyo Metropolitan Government (English)
- How to protect yourself during an earthquake (Tokyo)
- Advice for Protecting Yourself in an Earthquake (Sendai)
- The Disaster Prevention Handbook For Foreigners (Fukuoka)