Introducing some useful things during a disaster!

   I’m sure the July 2018 heavy rain disaster in Western Japan which killed over 200 people is still fresh in peoples’ minds. Here, we would like to introduce some useful tools to protect yourself with during natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.

 

1. Disaster information apps available in multiple languages
①Safety tips
An information app for use during disasters supervised by the Japan Tourism Agency, geared towards foreign travelers.
Languages: Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean. It provides push notifications of Earthquake Early Warnings, Tsunami Warnings, Weather Warnings and Eruption Notices issued in Japan. In addition, there is an action flowchart showing evacuation actions to be taken in the light of surrounding circumstances and a communication card for obtaining information from the people around, along with useful links that provide information in times of disaster.

②goo Disaster Prevention App
A comprehensive disaster prevention app which provides the following free of charge: information relating to disasters and disaster prevention, the ability to search and register safety status information on the “J-anpi ~ safety status information search” service, and evacuation center search on the disaster prevention map.
Languages: Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean
・Receive weather information, disaster information
・L Alert (disaster prevention information): receive evacuation instructions and advisories, evacuation center information, civil protection information.

 

③Pocket Shelter
This is a tourism and disaster prevention app which protects you in case of emergency. It is usually an offline app full of tourism information which is linked to the warning system and automatically switches to disaster prevention mode during a disaster.
Languages: Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean

④Multilingual Living Information App
An app made by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). It provides the Early Earthquake Warning in 14 languages.

 

2. Japanese terms often used in an event of a disaster

3. Introduction of KIA publications (foldable disaster carrying card)
   A card that folds into the size of a business card, providing information necessary during the two to three days after a disaster. It is made in 6 different languages (English, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, Tagalog, Vietnamese) and distributed to any interested persons. There is also a column to write down necessary personal information in the event of a disaster.

Contents :
Emergency phone numbers (110, 119, Disaster Emergency Message Dial 171)
Six example sentences useful in the event of an emergency (ex: My family is inside the house. Please help.)
A column for writing down useful personal information in the event of an emergency (ex: where to meet your family in the event of a disaster)