About 70 percent of Japanese are ready to stock up on food if a swine flu emergency is declared and they are ordered to stay at home, according to a recent government survey.

Of the 893 respondents who said food will need to be stocked, the largest group, some 33.0 percent, said they would expect to need about a seven-day supply, according to the survey by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry.

Some 80 percent to 90 percent said they will buy rice, canned foods and wheat-based items, such as instant noodles, if the need arises.

The nationwide survey was conducted on 1,292 people aged 20 and older between mid-September and early October.