Emergencies

During an emergency you may feel panicked and not know what to do. In the case of fire, accidents, or robbery please call your local police or fire department. In the case of natural disasters follow the instructions provided by your local authorities. To learn more about Natural Disaster in Japan and what to do during one please visit our Natural Disaster pages.

There are two emergency numbers in Japan.

Police: 110

Fire/Ambulance: 119

If you are not in Japan, and a natural disaster occurs in the country you are in, please contact your office to inform them of your safety.

If you are involved in an accident or an emergency while in Japan, CLAIR has created a set of guidelines for your Contracting Organization to follow including contacting your family and the US embassy. To learn more about these guidelines see the Jet Programme’s website at www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/support/emergency.html.

Talk to your family before you leave for Japan. Have the phone number of a relative that you can contact concerning your loved ones in case of an emergency at home where you cannot reach your family.

Natural Disasters

Japan, like many countries, is subject to many different types of natural disasters. Japan is located in a tectonically active zone leading to many earthquakes and active volcanoes. Japan also has to contend with typhoons every year and the ensuing floods and landslides.

Below is information on earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, and volcanoes, the steps you can take to prepare yourself, and what you should do before, during and after such events.

Earthquakes

If an earthquake occurs first remember to stay calm and look for a safe place. If you are inside get under a sturdy desk or table and cover your head with a pillow. During an earthquake furniture can fall over so you need to protect yourself.

Open a door right away. Earthquakes can warp door so that you cannot open them. However, do NOT go outside. Glass and signs can fall down during an earthquake. Most earthquakes last a minute or two during which time you should stay inside.

If you are outside, avoid narrow streets and walled streets. Don’t stand under the eaves of buildings. Go into a sturdy building or a public square. Also avoid cliffs and riverbanks because earthquakes can loosen the soil, making landslides possible.

If you are in your car, pull off to the side of the road or into a vacant lot. It is difficult to drive during an earthquake. It is like driving on a flat tire. After you stop, turn off your car. Listen to the new on the radio. If you have to evacuate, do so on foot.

Fires following earthquakes are not uncommon so take care to turn off all heat sources. Unplug electrical appliances. Turn off the stopcock on your gas appliances. If you evacuate your home after an earthquake, switch off the circuit breaker. If a fire does start, try and put it out using a fire extinguisher. In Japanese fire is “kaji.”

If you have to evacuate, do so on foot with very few personal belongings. Carry your necessary personal belongings in a backpack. You should bring some form of identification.

Tsunami

In 2005, a large tsunami caused massive damage and loss of life in Southeastern Asia. Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes. If you live near the seashore and feel a strong earthquake or a weak but lasting earthquake please move to higher ground. Japan has an alert system in place to warm of impending tsunamis. They announce warning over town loudspeakers, on the radio, and on TV. If you hear tsunami warnings for your area, please move away from shorelines to higher ground. However, tsunamis can strike before there is time to issue a warning. Therefore if you are near the ocean and feel an earthquake, evacuate quickly.

Listen to the news on T.V. and the radio. Follow any instructions given by the police or fire department. Don’t use the telephone unless you need too.

Before an earthquake

Talk to your family about what to do during an earthquake. If you have children make sure they know what to do. Beforehand, determine where your family will meet if an earthquake occurs. Decide which family member you will use as a central contact person. Learn how to use NTT’s “Disaster Message Exchange Dial 171.”

Secure furniture with brackets to prevent them from tipping over. Make sure that you have a fire extinguisher.

Prepare an evacuation kit. Include water, a flashlight, candles, knife, lighter, money, first aid kit, clothing, blanket, food, radio and batteries, helmet, and any medication that you need to have. Your kit should not be more than 20 to 30 pounds.

Most of this information is taken from the Japanese Earthquake Emergency Procedure Guide provided by the Fire Disaster and Management Agency. You can obtain this guide from your local city hall or visit the FDMA website at http://www.fdma.go.jp/en

Typhoons

Typhoons, also knows as hurricanes, are violent storms that form in the Pacific Ocean. They cause high winds, flooding, and huge waves. Because hurricanes only form when the water temperature is over 80º F, most hurricanes occur between May and October. The strongest typhoons are usually in August and September. Each year about 30 typhoons form in the Pacific Ocean. Of these thirty about 7 or 8 affect Okinawa Prefecture and the Ryukyu Islands. Another 3 or 4 affect the main islands of Japan. Most of these affect either Shikoku or Kyushu. However, any part of Japan can be affected by a typhoon.

Before a typhoon hits

Watch the news and talk to the people in your office and your friends to find out the best thing to do in your area. Typhoons are tracked on NHK news programs. They predict the course of the typhoon as well as the intensity of it. You can view this program in English at 7 o’clock and 9 o’clock by changing the language setting on your TV. Typhoons are also tracked via the Japanese Meterological Society. You can get the latest information from their English website at http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html.

If a typhoon is headed in your direction you need to prepare your house or apartment. Remove all pots and loose items from your balcony. Close your shutters. Many apartments have metal shutters that slide into place over your windows. If possible, move your car to a more sheltered place (for example, don’t leave your car in the parking lot at a port.) There are also shelters provided in most cities. If your house is old and in danger of collapsing in the strong winds, you may be asked to move to a shelter. If you are on an island, most stores will be unable to receive shipments of food for a day or two, so make sure to buy your bread and milk before the storm hits.

During a typhoon

Check with your office to see if you need to go into work. Some offices tell you stay home while others ask you to come in. If you can avoid it, don’t go outside. The strong winds blow debris around and you can be hurt if you are struck by something large. Don’t go into the ocean. Waves can reach as high as 10 – 15 meters on some of the islands. Your power will probably go out. Have candles and flashlights ready, but be careful not to start a fire.

After a typhoon

You may have to clean up after a typhoon. Typhoons can break branches, knock tiles off roofs, and blow sand and dirt onto your balcony. Be careful when cleaning up not to get hurt. Also, typhoons can kill plants because it drives the salt from the ocean into their leaves. If you have a garden, it may be lost.

Volcanic Activity

There are 188 volcanoes in Japan. Forty of these are currently active, including Asamayama in Nagano Prefecture, the largest active volcano in Japan, and Mount Sakarajima in Kagoshima Prefecture, which has erupted more than 5,000 times since 1955. Mt. Fuji has been dormant for almost 200 years.

If your town is located near an active volcano, the news will announce the direction of the wind from the volcano everyday. Should there be an eruption, you can then learn what direction the ash will blow in. In case of an eruption listen to your local authorities to find out what you should do. Listen to the radio, watch news broadcast, and listen to town announcements. If you are asked to evacuate please do so quickly.

Most eruptions only spew forth ash. Volcanic ash can harm electrical equipment. The ash is really fine pieces of glass and rock that once inside your computer, TV, or VCR can cause irrevocable harm. If there is an eruption place your electrical equipment into a plastic bag and securely seal it.