The eighth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11 is a good opportunity to learn disaster preparedness measures. Understanding how to obtain emergency information from reliable sources, such as local governments, is a good first step.
With foreign visitor numbers expected to grow ahead of the 2020 Olympics, municipalities are introducing multilingual emergency information services through websites, SNS and other tools, as well as providing leaflets on how visitors and Japan's increasing number of foreign residents can respond to disasters.
When a magnitude 6.7 quake hit Hokkaido in September, many foreign tourists were frustrated as language barriers prevented them from obtaining crucial information. Tourists were stuck in Sapporo, other cities and airports because the quake caused blackouts and transportation disruptions.