English

Disaster Prevention
Handbook
for Foreign Nationals

Public Interest Incorporated Foundation
Akita International Association

In Japan, there is a saying: natural calamities appear when they have been forgotten. A
natural calamity is a disaster that occurs due to the power of nature. Disasters can occur
at any time. By preparing for disasters before they happen, you can reduce the damage
as much as possible, and protect yourself, your family, and others important to you.
This handbook contains a lot of useful information, including information about types ofdisasters, how to prepare for a disaster, what to do when a disaster occurs, and more.
Please use this handbook as a reference as you think about how to protect yourself andyour loved ones.

☜Do you know where the municipality you live in is located?
Disaster news often appears alongside a map. If you remember
where the region you live in is located, it will make disaster
information easier to understand.
Large scale disasters have previously occurred in Akita Prefecture

Table of Contents

1983 Sea of Japan earthquake(May 26th, 1983)

Heavy rain of July, 2017

Heavy snowfall of January, 2021

Heavy rain of July, 2023

Preface/Table of Contents

Preparing for disasters
Acquiring disaster information................................ ９

Learning about natural disaster Earthquakes.. ２

How to evacuate ...................................................... 10

Shindo and the perceived shaking .................. ４

Emergency supplies( supplies to prepare in case there is a disaster ) ............ 12

Tsunami ................................................................ ５
Typhoons/Heavy rain/flooding ......................... ６
Heavy snow .......................................................... ７
Landslide disasters ............................................ 8

Japanese used during a disaster .......................... 14
Marks for locations used for evacuation/How to use public telephones ............................. 15
Checking on safety ( whether people are safe or not )/Disaster prevention memo ................................... 16

１

Learning about natural disasters
Earthquakes
An earthquake is when the ground shakes
violently. Large earthquakes can destroy
buildings, so they are very dangerous.
Furthermore, after the first shaking, there
can be numerous further earthquakes
known as aftershocks.

〈Earthquake vocabulary〉○Magnitude・・・The size of the earthquake○Shindo (degree of shaking)・・・The degree of shaking caused by the earthquake
Even with the same earthquake, the shindo willvary based on the location○Epicenter・・・The point at the center of the earthquake(below the ground surface)Things to be careful of once the shaking starts●When you are at home
・Hide beneath a table, desk, or somethingsimilar.
・Protect your head.
・Wait until the shaking stops.

Once the shaking stops
・Extinguish any flames.

・Secure an escape route, such as byopening a door or window.
・When you evacuate to a place other than your home,
turn off the electric breaker.
If the electricity is on, there is a possibility it could causea fire.
２

●When you are outside
・Get away from things that could collapse and fall, such as concrete
block walls or billboards.

●When you are inside an elevator
・Push the buttons for all floors. Get out
on whatever floor the elevator stops at.
・If the door does not open, push the
emergency button.

●When you are driving a car
・Pull over to the left side of the road andstop the car.
・At times when being inside a car isdangerous, leave the car behind and escapeon foot. At that time, do not lock the car
doors, and leave the key inside the car.
●When you are inside transportation such as a bus or train
・Hold tightly onto safety handles or railings.
●When you are inside a crowded facility
・Without panicking, follow the directionsof the facility staff.

３

Shindo and the perceived shaking

Shindo 0 No shaking is felt.
Shindo 1 When inside a room, some people can feel a small amount of shaking.

Shindo 2

When inside a room, many people will feel shaking.
Hanging objects swing and shake around.

Shindo 3 When inside a room, most people will feel shaking.

Shindo 4

Weak
Shindo 5StrongSome unstable objects will fall over.
Hanging objects will swing and shake around significantly.
Unstable furniture will fall over, and objects such as dishes andbooks will fall out.
Some concrete block walls may collapse.
Heavy furniture may fall over.

Shindo 5 Walking is difficult.
Standing is impossible. Doors may become jammed and unable to be
Weakopened.
Shindo 6 Walls, window glass, and other parts of buildings may be destroyed.
Unsecured furniture will move around.
Strong

It is impossible to move without crawling.

Shindo 6 Some houses may collapse.
Shindo 7

It is impossible to move. Many houses may collapse.
Roads may also collapse.
４

Tsunami
Sometimes an earthquake may cause atsunami (a large wave). Tsunami can come
immediately after an earthquake occurs.
Large tsunami can wash away even things
like cars and buildings.

Things to be careful of●When you are near the sea, a river, or other such bodies of water
Evacuate immediately to a high elevation location.
●When you are near the mountains

Rocks may fall from above. Stay away from cliffs.
●Even if an earthquake did not happen nearby, there is still thepossibility of a tsunami
Gather information from sources such as television or radio.
●When you feel that it is dangerous to remain in your home

Evacuate to a location, such as an evacuation area or shelter (page15), that is higher in elevation than your home.
〈Tsunami warnings/advisories〉
Information released by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Whenan earthquake occurs, and a tsunami will come, large tsunami
warnings and tsunami advisories are announced through mediums
such as television.
Types of warnings/advisories

Predicted height of the tsunami
Announcement by number

Language for describing(announcement standards)

tsunami size

More than 10 meters

Large tsunami
warning

１０ｍ

Huge

５ｍ
Tsunami warning

３ｍ

High

Tsunami advisory

１ｍ

ー

５

TyphoonsTyphoons most often appear from August
until October. As a typhoon passes, verystrong winds will blow, and heavy rain will
fall.

Things to be careful of●Do not go outside●If there are things outside your home that could be blown away,
put them inside●It is possible that window glass may break, so close curtains inorder to prevent injury●Power outages may also occur, so prepare flashlights

Heavy rain/flooding
There are times where rain may continue to fall for
long periods of time, or where a huge amount ofrain may fall in a short period of time. If there is a
lot of rainfall, then the water in rivers may
overflow. There are even times when houses may
be submerged or swept away.
When a lot of rain falls in the same location over ashort period of time, it is known as a concentrated
torrential downpour.
Heavy rain is especially likely at times such as theend of the rainy season (from June to July) and at
the time of a typhoon.
During heavy rain, there are also times where theact of going to an evacuation shelter can be
dangerous. At such times, please go to the safest
room in the building you are in.

Things to be careful of●Do not go outside unless you are evacuating●Do not go near features such as rivers
or mountains●Do not go anywhere by car●When the water is deep enough that it reaches around the areaof an adult's knees, do not go anywhere by walking
６

Heavy snow
Akita experiences a lot of snowfall during the winter.

Things to be careful of●Transportation, such as busses and trains,
may stop●Bicycles, motorbikes, and so on cannot be used
●Wear shoes that do not slip easily●Change your car tires to studless tires●Beware of falling icicles when walking under overhangs●When not using running water, drain your water pipes( the method for draining your pipes differs depending on thehouse, apartment, etc. where you live, so confirm the methodahead of time )Icicles

Studless tires

They can cause severe injury by falling

The grooves are deeper than normal tires,but also have fine, shallow grooves. Even
during snowfall, or when the road isfrozen, they will not slip easily.
Studless tires have STUDLESS written on

and piercing the head or other body parts

the side of the tire.

Draining water pipes

The water is drained
from the pipes

７

Landslide disasters
At times such as heavy rain or
earthquakes, weakened earthen slopes
can collapse into a landslide.

Regarding cautionary levels and evacuationin times of heavy rain and landslide disasters
This information is released by municipalities.
For windstorm and flood disasters, as well as landslide disasters, 5levels of evacuation information are used. You can check theinformation through television, internet, apps, and other sources.
Evacuation information

Cautionary

What to do

level

５

will be displayed inthese ways

Do whatever you can immediately tosecure your own safety

Emergency Safety
Measures

Everyone should evacuate

４

Evacuate from dangerous areas as soon
as possible to an evacuation area orother safe place

Evacuation Order

Those who take extra time to evacuate,
such

３

as

elderlyor

disabled

people,should evacuate
All others should prepare in the eventthat they need to evacuate

２
１Reconfirm your evacuation methods(how you will evacuate if needed)
Be on the watch for new information

８

Evacuation for
the Elderly, etc.

Preparing for disasters
Acquiring disaster information
If a disaster occurs, turn on the television or radio.
You can also get disaster information from sources such as disasterprevention tools and apps.
●Akita Prefectural Disaster
Prevention Portal Site
This is a website that provides
various kinds of information thatis useful at the time of a disaster.
You can view information about
weather, evacuation, and more in
multiple languages.

URL
https://www.bousai-akita.jp/●NHK World JapanYou can view NHK news in multiple languages. You can also get
information about disasters. This is a free app.
For Android

For iPhone●Safety Tips
You can get information about disasters in multiple languages.
This is a free app.
Android版

Safety Tips logo
(Source: Japanese Tourism Agency homepage)

９

iOS版

How to evacuate
In case there is a disaster, check beforehand the best methods
for evacuating, and where you should evacuate to.
●Check hazard maps
These are maps that illustrate dangerous areas where
disasters may occur, evacuation areas, and more. They
are created by municipalities. You should check thehazard map for the municipality you live in. You cancheck it on the municipality homepage.

In the caseof a large
municipality,
there will bemaps foreach area●Going to an evacuation area
・Places such as elementary schools, middle schools,
and community centers become evacuation shelters
during disasters
・Anyone can use these shelters free of charge
・You can also receive food and drinks
・There are also blankets, places to sleep, etc.
( in some cases the places to sleep may be hard
floors )・You can get information about disasters, daily
life, and so on

１０

Evacuation shelter
mark

●Manners and rules at evacuation shelters
・There is a reception area, so be sure to write your own name andother needed information there. When you take actions such as
returning home or going to a different evacuation shelter, inform
reception.
・The times, amounts, etc. for food distribution are set. When a line
forms, line up to receive your food in order.
・Since many people must live together in the same place, avoid
using loud voices.
●How to dress when evacuating
・Avoid exposing your skin by wearing long sleeves and pants
・Wear gloves
・Wear shoes that you are used to and that areeasy to walk in・Cover your head with a helmet, hat, or othercovering
・Put your things in a rucksack to carry with you●Things to be careful of when evacuating・Wear safe clothing that is easy to move around in, and shoes thatare easy to walk in as you evacuate. During a flood, do not wear
long boots. Water can get inside the boots and make it difficult towalk.
・When it is dark outside, there is a danger of slipping and falling
into gutters. Pass through wide, bright streets.
・Carry a flashlight, and walk while being careful of your footing.

１１

Emergency supplies( supplies to prepare in case there is a disaster )After a disaster occurs, it becomes difficult to buy things like food anddaily necessities. Prepare the most vital necessities, and keep them insuch a way that they can be picked up and carried away immediately
when you need to evacuate.
There are 2 types of emergency supplies that you need to prepare.

① Items to be carried with you when you evacuate: Portable Emergency Kit Supplies② Items to be prepared for use at home when electricity, gas, and water
services are stopped ( Emergency Stockpile Supplies )Let's check what you need for each type of supplies.

●Portable Emergency Kit Supplies
Prepare them inside a rucksack or similar item, so that you can pick
it up and move immediately when you need to evacuate. After
preparing the bag with all items inside, test out walking with it.
Make sure that it doesn't become too heavy.

Water

Food

Towels/Tissues

Clothing/
Underwear

First aid items

Copy of your
Health InsuranceCard( coins such as ¥10and ¥100 coins canbe used for public
telephones )MoneyBankbooks
and similar
items

Passport

Mobile phones

Flashlights/

and chargers

Spare batteries

Residence
Card

Any needed

Portable radio
１２

medications

Other things thatyou specificallyneed

●Emergency Stockpile Supplies
At the minimum, prepare 3 days worth of supplies. If possible, as a
general standard, try to maintain 1 weeks worth of supplies.

Water
3 liters neededfor 1 days worth

Blankets

Food

Plastic wrap/
Aluminum foil

Disposable
tableware

Dry shampoo

Tooth brushingsets/Mouthwash

Portable stove/
fuel

The emergency supplies needed are different from person to person.
Prepare the things that you, your family, or other loved ones need.

１３

Japanese used during a disaster
These terminology can be important for protecting yourself, so remember them.
Evacuation

避難

Hinan

Escaping to a safe place

Aftershock

余震

YoshinFurther earthquakes that occur after alarge earthquake (numerous aftershocks
may occur)

震度

ShindoThe amount of shaking from an earthquake

Collapse

倒壊

Toukai

Fire

火事/火災

Power outage
Water stoppage

Degree ofshaking

When houses or other buildings fall down
and are destroyed

Kaji/Kasai

When a house or object, etc., burns

停電

TeidenWhen the electricity goes out

断水

Dansui

When running water cannot be used

FutsuuWhen electricity, water, gas cannot be
used

Stoppage/
Impassability

不通

Water station

給水所

Kyuusuijo

Ambulance

救急車

Kyuukyuusya

A vehicle used to transport people who areill, injured, etc.

Food provision

炊き出し

Takidashi

When large amounts of food are given out
for free at places like evacuation shelters

Charging

充電

Juuden/When roads become impassable

Flood

洪水

KouzuiInundation

浸水

Shinsui

A place where you can receive drinking
water

To charge mobile phones, radios, etc. withenergyA disaster that occurs when the amount ofwater in a river increases suddenly anddramatically due to heavy rains, melting
snow, or other circumstances
When a building, etc., becomes submergedin water
When the amount of water in a river

Flood

氾濫

Hanranincreases suddenly and dramatically to thepoint that it overflows the banks of the
river

River

河川

Kasen

A river

１４Marks for locations used for evacuation
Check the area surrounding your home, and memorize what marks are located where.

Evacuation
Area
TsunamiEvacuation
Area

The first place to escape to when a disaster occurs.
They are wide open places with a lot of space, such as apark or the grounds of a school.

A place to escape from a tsunami.
They are places that are higher in elevation than thesurrounding area, such as a mountain, or a tall building
like a hotel.
A gathering place for people whose homes have been

Evacuation
Shelter

destroyed, whose homes are currently dangerous, and soon.
It is possible to receive necessities such as water andfood here.
They are usually places such as schools, public buildings,
or community centers.

Elevationcompared tosea level
indicators

The elevation of the location compared to the elevationof the sea is displayed.

When a tsunami is coming, immediately escape to a highelevation location.

How to use public telephones●When calling an ambulance/firefighters, the police, etc.

Ambulance/firefighters: 119

Police: 110

For phones without an emergency

For phones with an emergency

notification button

notification button① Pick up the receiver① Pick up the receiver② Dial 119 or 110② Press the emergency
notification button③ Dial 119 or 110●What to do when calling someone inside Japan during a disaster( During a large scale disaster, it is possible to use the phone free ofcharge )For phones without an emergency

For phones with an emergency

notification button

notification button① Pick up the receiver① Pick up the receiver② Dial the number of the② Insert coin (a ¥10 coin or a ¥100 coin)person you want to call

③ Dial the number of the person you want to call

１５

Emergency notification buttonChecking on safety ( whether people are safe or not )When a disaster occurs, it becomes harder to connect with people via telephone. Decideahead of time on several methods for you and your family, friends, and other loved ones
to confirm each other's safety.

●Disaster Emergency Message Dial
Messages that you record using this service can be listened to by other people. It can be usedfrom landline phones, mobile phones, and public phones.

How to use
the service

When recording: Dial 171→Dial 1→Dial your own phone number→Dial 1→Complete the recording
When listening to a message: Dial 171→Dial 2→Dial the phone number of theperson whose message you want to listen to→Dial 1→Listen to the message●Disaster Message Board (web 171)
If you leave a message through text on the website, other people can check it. You can leaveand check messages using devices such as a computer or smartphone.
How to use

Access https://www.web171.jp→Enter the telephone number of yourself or

the service

the person whose messages you want to check●Person Finder
Can be used to register personal safety information, check for such information, andso on. It is useable in several different languages.
https://www.google.org/personfinder/japan

Disaster prevention memoWrite some memos for use during a disaster situation.
Name
Address
Phone number
Allergies
Necessary medication
Embassy/
Consulate phone number
Closest evacuation area
to your home
Closest evacuation shelter
to your home
Family member names
Family member
phone numbers
Meeting location
for family members

１６

Disaster Prevention Handbook for Foreign Nationals
Published in March, 2024
Publisher: Public Interest Incorporated Foundation
Akita International Association

We will release information during a disaster

Akita International Association
Atorion Build. 1F., Nakadori 2-3-8, Akita City
ＴＥＬ：018-893-5499 ＦＡＸ：018-825-2566 E-mail: aia@aiahome.or.jp

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