The government has carried out its first-ever nationwide survey of underground facilities, aiming to identify potential shelters to protect citizens in the event of a missile attack.

The survey found that the area occupied by emergency temporary evacuation facilities across Japan could be nearly doubled by additional designations. Such facilities are intended for short-term evacuations lasting a few hours.

In the current fiscal year, ending in March 2026, the government plans to develop an implementation policy to provide guidance on securing shelters. It aims to accelerate discussions by incorporating findings from the survey.