What to Do if an Earthquake Occurs During Your Trip to Japan? Essential Disaster Preparedness Knowledge to Know

Protect yourself first and foremost with a real understanding of what to expect from an earthquake.
The Earth's crust consists of plates and an earthquake is the result of their shifting.
With larger earthquakes fallout can include collapsed houses and buildings, but even secondary disasters afterwards like landslides and tsunami waves.
Remember, large-scale earthquakes repeat themselves in longer cycles, causing seismic waves that are slower and larger.

Wherever you are, move quickly to a place safe from falling objects like signs, glass, or roof tiles during an earthquake. Once safe, protect your head and keep low until the shaking stops. If you're in a hotel or inn, protect your head with pillows or futons to avoid injury from broken windows or light fixtures. Hiding under a table to protect your head is also effective. In the city, move away from buildings that may collapse or drop debris, and use your bag to shield your head. Be cautious of falling signs. If you're in a bathroom or restroom, leave as soon as possible to a safer location. Rushing to emergency exits can lead to crowd stampedes and injury, so be sure to stay calm and act accordingly.

Here are steps to take once the earthquake subsides.
Protect your feet against the probably of scattered glass by avoiding walking barefoot or in slippers. Wear shoes to protect your feet. Prepare for the possibility of aftershocks by keeping doors open and ensuring an escape route.
Avoid turning on electrical switches due to the risk of fire or explosions; use your smartphone or emergency lights for illumination.
Refrain from using fire, as there might be gas leaks.
If you're in a facility and hear fire alarms, evacuate immediately.
Avoid using elevators as they may stop and trap you inside. Follow instructions from facility staff for evacuation.

Stay alert for possible after effects after a large earthquake, especially tsunami waves.
If you're near the sea, move quickly to higher ground or a tall building once the shaking stops.
Also, be cautious if you're by a river. Tsunamis can surge upstream from the river mouth.
Evacuate perpendicular to the river's flow direction.

After the shaking, head to a nearby evacuation area.
Evacuation areas are locations designated to escape from disaster-related dangers.
Evacuation shelters are different; they're for people who can't return home and offer communal living.
Evacuation areas are usually outdoors, except during heavy rain, like large parks, green spaces, or school grounds.
Assess the damage and whether returning home is feasible at the evacuation area, and plan your next steps.

Large handkerchiefs, scarves, or shawls can be used as masks for infection and dust prevention.
They can also serve as bandages, sunshades, or blankets, so include them in your travel luggage.

A raincoat can prove both water and wind resistant, making them crucial in protecting against rain and cold.
They can help keep your body clean as well so remember that a raincoat is a good item to keep in your bag.

Large trash bags can be used to carry water, converted into raincoats, or used as emergency toilets. Plastic bags can substitute for gloves. When treating injuries, touching wounds with bare hands increases the risk of infection, so use plastic bags as gloves for first aid.

In case you're trapped in your accommodation during a power outage, a flashlight alone may not light up the entire room. Place the flashlight on the floor, pointing upward, and put a water-filled bottle on top of it. The light from the flashlight will reflect through the water in the bottle, illuminating the entire room.

During travel, keep a good amount of cash in your wallet.
After a disaster, electronic devices like smartphones and payment readers may not work, making electronic payments impossible.
Consider the possibility of shops being unable to provide change, so carry plenty of coins.

When a disaster occurs, communications in the affected areas tends to go up, making it difficult to connect calls and access the internet.
In these situations be sure to remember 'Disaster Message Dial.'
This service allows you to record and play back safety information via voice messages to specific phone numbers, only available during disasters.

Like the Disaster Message Dial, the 'Disaster Message Board' is a service for checking safety, available only during major disasters.
You can register your safety information on the Disaster Message Board, and friends and family can check it.
Each smartphone carrier provides this service, so be aware of the service available through your carrier.

'00000JAPAN' is a public Wi-Fi service made freely available during disasters.
After a disaster, increased communications makes it difficult to connect to the internet, making it hard to contact for safety confirmation or to get disaster-related information.
This service can be invaluable at such times.

In the aftermath of a disaster, it's not uncommon for unsettling and inaccurate information to spread.
During such times, check the following websites and social media accounts.
We recommend bookmarking and following them in advance.