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Disaster Preparation

Japan is a country that experiences natural phenomena on a regular basis, such as earthquakes and typhoons. Sometimes, these can cause damage which can lead to emergency situations. This page details some ways we can be prepared.

Warning App​

Make sure you have a disaster early-warning app installed on your phone. Yahoo Japan has a popular app called 防災速報. For those that don't know Japanese, Yurekuru Call is a recommended one in English.

Emergency Bag​

You should prepare to have between one and three days worth of emergency supplies that can fit into a bag. After around 3 days, external help should arrive.

Example emergency bag to put together for one adult:

  • Long-life water: 1.5 to 6L (most important item to have)
  • Long-life emergency food: rice (such as alpha rice), canned food, biscuits, chocolate bars, dried bread etc for one to three days
  • 4 to 21 simple toilets
  • Hygiene products: Toilet paper, tissue paper, wet tissues, bandages etc.
  • Plastic bag(s)
  • Radio
  • Flashlight (preferably waterproof)
  • Spare battery
  • Mobile phone charger
  • Raincoat
  • Whistle
  • Valuables (bankbook, seal, cash, copies of residence card, health insurance card, passport, etc.)
  • Sanitary items
  • For families with infants: prepare formula milk, disposable nappies, baby bottles, etc.
  • First-aid equipment (bands, bandages, antiseptic solutions, regular medicine, etc.)

You can also purchase ready-made emergency bags online. For example:

Evacuation​

In the case of your home being damaged, you may have to live in an evacuation centre.

Be aware of the location and route of your designated evacuation point. For example, schools are usual evacuation centres. Please ask staff at your location for specifics.

Home​

Furniture​

Make sure that tall furniture such as bookshelves are secured to the wall or ceiling. You can get extendable devices to place on the top of them that push them up against the ceiling.

Also make sure you don't have breakable items, such as photo frames, mugs, or clocks on a high place (especially not near where you sleep!).

Emergency Supplies​

After a disaster, around 90% of people will live in their homes. Evacuation centres give priority to those that have had their homes damaged. In the case of disaster, utilities may all be cut off. In this case, it would be good to have up to one week's worth of supplies stocked at home for emergencies.

Stock the following items (in addition to emergency bag) per adult to extend the emergency bag stock to last a whole week (extra 4 to 6 days depending on emergency bag stock):

  • Long-life water: extra 9 to 15L
  • Long-life emergency food: extra rice (such as alpha rice), canned food, biscuits, chocolate bars, dried bread etc
  • Extra 24 to 28 simple toilets
  • Extra hygiene products: Toilet paper, tissue paper, wet tissues, bandages etc.
  • For families with infants: prepare extra formula milk, disposable nappies, baby bottles, etc.