Q&A on information transmission and actions in case of ballistic missile launch[Information Transmission Overview]
Q1. When is the J-ALERT used?
A1.
The National Early Warning System (J-ALERT) is used when a ballistic
missile may fall on or pass through Japanese land or territorial waters.
If the missile is not likely to fall on or pass through Japanese land orterritorial waters, J-ALERT is not used.
Note that if a missile is likely to fall in a sea area near Japan but outside
its territorial waters (e.g., in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)),even though J-ALERT is not used, ships and aircraft are quickly warned
thereof.
Q2. How is the information transmission actually done?
A2.
In case the government uses J-ALERT to transmit information, not only
are municipal radios automatically activated and the warning isbroadcasted over the loudspeakers of each municipality, but also Area
Mails (for targeted areas) and emergency messages are sent to mobilephones.
For more information, please visit the website of the Fire and Disaster
Management Agency (Japanese only):
http://www.fdma.go.jp/neuter/topics/fieldList2_1.html[How to respond to a ballistic missile launch (before it lands or passesthrough)]
Q3. What to do if there is an information transmission saying that “a missilewas launched”?
A3.
If the ballistic missile is likely to reach Japan, we transmit the informationthat the missile was launched and instruct people to evacuate.
When outdoors, take shelter in a building (if possible, a sturdy one) or1

underground (underground facilities such as underground shopping
arcades or subway stations) nearby.
When indoors, if there is a sturdier building or underground to where you
can quickly evacuate, take shelter in that place immediately. If there is nosuch facility around, move as far away as possible from the windows or, ifpossible, to a room without windows.
Note that if it is expected that the missile is likely to fall on Japaneseland or territorial waters, as soon as we detect this possibility, we willcommunicate that a missile is likely to fall and instruct people toimmediately take shelter one more time.
Q4. What to do when there was an information transmission saying that “amissile is likely to fall”?
A4.
[When outdoors]Take shelter in a building (if possible, a sturdy one) or undergroundnearby.
If there are no appropriate buildings, etc. nearby, hide under anythingthat may provide shelter or lie flat on the ground covering your head.
[When indoors]
Move as far away as possible from windows or, if possible, to a room
without windows.

Q5. In what kind of building should I take shelter?
A5.
Take shelter in a building (sturdy buildings such as those made ofconcrete) or underground facilities such as underground shopping arcades
or subway stations nearby.

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Q6. Where should I look for shelter in case there are no sturdy buildings orunderground facilities nearby?
A6.
Take shelter in any nearby building. If there is none, hide under anythingthat may provide shelter or lie flat on the ground covering your head.
Q7. Why is it better to take shelter in a building or underground?
A7.
Because taking shelter in a building (if possible, a sturdy one) or
underground (underground facilities such as underground shopping
arcades or subway stations) helps to avoid damage inflicted by the blast
wave or broken window glass at the time of the impact.
Q8. What to do in case there are no buildings or underground facilities
nearby?
A8.
Hide under anything that may provide shelter or lie flat on the groundcovering your head in order to avoid damage inflicted by the blast wave or
broken window glass at the time of the impact.
Q9. When looking for a shelter, do I have to evacuate to a building or
underground facility designated as a shelter by the governor?
A9.
Take shelter in any building (if possible, a sturdy one) or undergroundnearby regardless of whether it is a designated shelter or not.
Q10. What to do if I am at home?
A10.
If there is a sturdier building or underground (underground facilities suchas underground shopping arcades or subway stations) where you canquickly take shelter, evacuate to that place immediately. If you cannot,

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stay home, move as far away as possible from windows or, if possible, toa room without windows.
Q11. Is there something I should pay attention to after taking shelter in abuilding?
A11.
Move as far away as possible from windows or, if possible, to a room
without windows for avoiding damage inflicted by window glass broken by
the blast wave.
Q12. What to do in case I am in a car when ballistic missile information istransmitted?
A12.
The gasoline in the car is highly flammable.
Park the car and take shelter in a building (if possible, a sturdy one) orunderground (underground facilities such as underground shopping arcades
or subway stations) nearby. If there are no buildings or undergroundfacilities to take shelter around, move away from the car, and lie flat on theground covering your head.
Q13. What to do if it is dangerous to get out of the car?
A13.
If you are driving on an expressway or somewhere else where it would
be dangerous to get out of the car, park the car somewhere safe and,lowering your head, wait for further official information inside the car.

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[How to respond to a ballistic missile launch (after the missile has landed orpassed through)]
Q14. What to do when there was an information transmission saying that“the missile has possibly passed to XX at around X:XX”?
A14.
Gather information from the government on TV or the radio.
There is no need to stay in the shelter, but if you find any suspicious
objects, do not approach, and report it to the police, fire dipartment or theJapan Coast Guard.

Q15. What to do when there was an information transmission saying that“a missile has possibly landed in the area around XX City, XX
Prefecture at around X:XX”?
A15.
Further information will be transmitted, so stay indoors and do not leave
the shelter.
The damage inflicted, the response to it and other factors vary greatly
according to the type of warhead.
Therefore, you should try to gather more information on TV, the radio or
the internet.
Also, if there are any instructions from administrative agencies, follow
them, stay calm and do what you have been instructed to do.
If a missile has landed nearby, although the extent of the damage areavaries according to the type of warhead, follow the instructions below:
・ When outdoors, cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief, andimmediately move away from the impact zone, and take shelter in awell-sealed building or move upwind.
・ When indoors, turn off ventilation systems, close windows, and seal
up any openings to make the space as airtight as possible.

5Q16. What kind of information is transmitted after the warning saying that“a missile has possibly landed in the area around XX City, XX
Prefecture at around X:XX”?
A16.
Information transmission saying that there is no longer a need to takeshelter, or instructing to stay in the shelter, or to evacuate to somewhere
else, etc. will be transmitted according to the situation.
Q17. What to do when there was an information transmission saying that“the missile has possibly landed in the XX Sea at around X:XX”?
A17.
Gather information from the government on TV or the radio.
There is no need to stay in the shelter, but if you find any suspicious
objects, do not approach, and report it to the police, fire dipartment or theJapan Coast Guard.
[Information Transmission]
Q18. When is the Civil Protection Siren sound used?
A18.
In case J-ALERT is used, disaster management radio systems of eachmunicipality are automatically activated broadcasting the warning over theloudspeakers outdoors. In this case, as a general rule, the siren soundused is the Civil Protection Siren sound.
For further information such as the locations of disaster management
radio systems in each municipality, please contact the local authorities ofthe municipality in which you live.

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Q19. Is the ringtone used for Area Mails (for targeted areas) or emergency
messages transmitting missile information the same as the Civil
Protection Siren sound?
A19.
No. It is the same ringtone used for Area Mails (for targeted areas) or
emergency messages about tsunami, volcano eruption or otheremergency situations. However, it is not the Civil Protection Siren sound.
Please verify the sound for Area Mails and emergency messages fortransmitting missile information on the websites (Japanese only) below:
NTT DOCOMO Area Mail (Disaster/Evacuation Information) web site
https://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/service/areamail/disaster_evacuation/index.html
au Emergency Mail (Disaster/Evacuation Information) web site
https://www.au.com/mobile/anti-disaster/kinkyu-sokuho/saigai-hinan/
Softbank Emergency Mail (Disaster/Evacuation Information) web site
http://www.softbank.jp/mobile/service/urgent_news/about/disaster_info/
Ｙ!Mobile Emergency mail (Disaster/Evacuation Information) web site
http://www.ymobile.jp/service/urgent_mail/disaster_info/

Q20. How can I know if my mobile phone or smartphone receives Area
Mails or emergency mails in case J-ALERT is activated?
A20.
Please contact your mobile phone company.
In case your mobile phone or smartphone cannot receive J-ALERT
messages, you can program it to receive them in the following manner:(1) Example of smart phone applications and email services provided byprivate businesses:
Yahoo Japan Corporation provides a free service called “Yahoo!
Disaster Information” (Yahoo! bosai sokuho) which sends ballistic
missile information, etc. through a smartphone application or amobile phone message.
You can install the smartphone application or register your mobile
phone email address at the URL bellow (Japanese only):
Yahoo! Disaster Information (Yahoo! bosai sokuho) (Japanese only)
https://emg.yahoo.co.jp/

7(2) Email registry systems of local municipalities
Some prefectures and municipalities have implemented an email
registry system for sending ballistic missile information, etc. to smart
phone and mobile phone email addresses registered beforehand.
Please check the homepage, etc. of the prefecture and municipality
in which you live.
[Other]Q21. How long would it take for a missile to reach Japan after launch?
A21.
In case a ballistic missile is launched from North Korea towards Japan,
the missile is likely to reach Japan in an extremely short time.
For instance, a missile launched from near Tongchang-ri on the western
coast of North Korea on February 7, 2016, passed through the skies of theSakishima Islands in Okinawa (about 1,600km away from the launchingsite) approximately 10 minutes after the launch.
Note, however, that depending on the kind of missile and the launchingsite, the time it takes for a missile to fly from the launching site to Japan
may vary.

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