# Earthquakes and disasters in Japan: preparing as a foreign resident

URL: https://japanhow.com/life/safety/earthquake-disaster-preparedness-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 24, 2026

## Summary

Earthquake preparedness in Japan for a foreign resident comes down to four steps, as of October 2026. Install an alert app in your language, such as Safety Tips (15 languages). Stock food and water for at least 3 days, ideally a week, with 3 liters of water per person per day. Find your nearest evacuation site and shelter: anyone can use a shelter, regardless of nationality. Practice the 171 message dial, which is Japanese-only. Fire insurance doesn't cover earthquake damage without an add-on.

## Key facts

- Stockpile: 3 days minimum, ideally 1 week
- Water: 3 liters per person per day
- Message dial: 171 (1 record, 2 play back)
- Alert app: Safety Tips, 15 languages

Earthquake preparedness in Japan for a foreign resident takes four steps, as of October 2026. **Install an alert app in your language** (Safety Tips covers 15 languages). **Stock food and water for at least 3 days, ideally a week**, at 3 liters of water per person per day. **Find your nearest evacuation site and shelter**: anyone can use a shelter, whatever their nationality. And **learn the 171 message dial** before you need it, because its voice guidance is Japanese-only.

**Water to store:** 3 liters per person per day (For at least 3 days, ideally 1 week (Koto City, Tokyo). Two adults for 3 days: 18 liters.)

## Which earthquake alerts will I get, and in what language?

Japan sends two kinds of alerts you should know.

- **Earthquake early warning (緊急地震速報, kinkyū jishin sokuhō).** The Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁) detects the first, weaker wave near the epicenter and warns areas before the strong shaking arrives. A warning goes out when it predicts seismic intensity 5-lower (震度5弱) or more, to areas expecting intensity 4 or more. Since 1 February 2023, a prediction of strong long-period shaking (長周期地震動, class 3 or more) also triggers it.
- **Emergency alert messages (緊急速報メール).** Your phone carrier pushes earthquake early warnings, tsunami warnings and city evacuation orders to your phone. SoftBank says the service is free and on by default on most smartphones. On iPhone it has been on by default since iOS 6.

The early warning has limits. Analysis and sending take a few seconds, and the agency says that for shallow quakes on land, a warning in principle **cannot arrive in time near the epicenter**. Treat the alarm as a signal to take cover at once, not a guarantee.

None of the official and carrier pages we checked say these alerts come in English. If you don't read Japanese, add an app that sends them in your language.

## Which disaster app works in English?

| App | From | Languages | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Safety Tips** | Japan Tourism Agency (観光庁) | 15: English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog, Nepali, Khmer, Burmese, Mongolian | Push alerts for earthquake early warnings, tsunami warnings and weather warnings; an evacuation flowchart; phrases to talk to people around you |
| **Disaster Preparedness Tokyo** (東京都防災アプリ) | Tokyo Metropolitan Government | English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) | Free. Offline Disaster Preparedness Tokyo booklets, a map of disaster facilities with your own evacuation route, flood risk maps, a checklist |

Safety Tips is built for tourists, but it works the same for residents, and it is the only official app here that covers Vietnamese, Nepali, Indonesian, Tagalog and Burmese. Safety Tips is on iOS and Android.

The Tokyo government also publishes its disaster book, **Disaster Preparedness Tokyo (東京防災, Tokyo Bōsai)**, in English, Chinese and Korean to read online. It recommends saving the PDF or e-book to your phone in advance, because the internet may be down after a quake.

## What should I do when an earthquake hits?

These steps come from an English city guide (Hamura and Fussa, Tokyo) and the Meteorological Agency's tsunami page.

## What do tsunami warnings mean?

| Alert | Expected wave height | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Major tsunami warning (大津波警報) | Over 3 m | Evacuate at once to high ground or an evacuation building |
| Tsunami warning (津波警報) | Over 1 m, up to 3 m | Evacuate at once to high ground or an evacuation building |
| Tsunami advisory (津波注意報) | 0.2 m to 1 m | Get out of the water and away from the shore |

The agency warns that tsunamis can come in **several waves**. Stay at high ground until the warning is lifted.

## What should I put in my earthquake kit?

Japanese city guides ask you to stock **at least 3 days, ideally a week**, of food and water, with **3 liters of water per person per day**. The Tokyo Disaster Management Council (May 2022) estimates that after a major quake directly under the capital, power could take 4 days to restore, water and sewerage 21 days and city gas 42 days. You may not be able to buy food at supermarkets or convenience stores, so plan to live at home on your own supplies.

| For your stockpile at home | For your grab bag |
|---|---|
| Water (3 liters per person per day) | Passport and residence card (在留カード) |
| Food you normally eat, rotated | Cash, including coins |
| Portable gas stove and canisters | Phone charger and mobile battery |
| Emergency toilets (簡易トイレ) | Flashlight and radio |
| Medicines you take every day | Medicine and first-aid kit |
| Diapers and formula, sanitary products | Masks, wet wipes, a change of clothes |

Tokyo calls this **daily stockpiling** (日常備蓄): buy a little more of what you already eat and use, use the oldest first, and replace it. You don't need special survival food. Tokyo marks **19 November** each year as Stockpile Day, a reminder to check your supplies.

Take your passport and residence card when you evacuate. If your card is lost or destroyed, see [lost residence card](/visa/visas/lost-residence-card-japan/).

Inside your home, the Hamura guide recommends **furniture straps or stoppers** (家具転倒防止) and **shatterproof film** on windows. Toppled furniture and broken windows are among the main dangers in a quake.

## Where do I evacuate, and can foreigners use shelters?

Japan uses two kinds of places, and they are different.

- **Evacuation site (避難場所, hinan basho):** a large open space such as a park or schoolyard.
- **Evacuation shelter (避難所, hinan-jo):** usually a school gym, where you can stay temporarily if your home is damaged or there is an evacuation order.

**Anyone can use a shelter**, the Hamura guide says, but bring what you need yourself. The Cabinet Office (内閣府) adds that shelters are run by the people staying there, so expect to follow rules and help out. The guide sets no condition on nationality or language.

To find yours, check your city's hazard map (ハザードマップ). The national **Hazard Map Portal (ハザードマップポータルサイト)** from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism overlays flood, landslide and tsunami risk and links to cities' own maps. The portal is in Japanese, so ask your city office whether its map has an English version. In Tokyo, the Disaster Preparedness Tokyo app shows facilities in English.

City evacuation information uses levels. At **level 3, 高齢者等避難**, people who need time to move, such as older people, should evacuate. At **level 4, 避難指示**, everyone in a danger area must evacuate.

## How do I contact family after a disaster?

Phone lines to a disaster area jam fast. NTT runs the **Disaster Emergency Message Dial (災害用伝言ダイヤル), number 171**, which starts after an earthquake of seismic intensity 6-lower or more, or when NTT decides traffic calls for it.

| To | Dial | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Record a message | 171, then 1 | Enter the phone number in the disaster area (your home or mobile number), then speak for up to 30 seconds |
| Play back a message | 171, then 2 | Enter that same number, then listen |

Calls through NTT East and West lines are free. Mobile carriers may charge, so check yours. Each number holds 1 to 20 messages, announced when the service starts.

**The 171 guidance is in Japanese only:** NTT West says the voice guidance is only in Japanese, with no plans for other languages. Practice before a disaster: 171 opens for practice on the **1st and 15th of every month**, 1 to 3 January, 30 August to 5 September, and 15 to 21 January. Agree with your family which number you will use.

Agree on a messaging app with family abroad as well. For police, fire and ambulance numbers, see [emergency numbers in Japan](/life/safety/emergency-numbers-japan/). If you are injured, [English-speaking hospitals](/life/health/english-speaking-hospital-japan/) lists ways to find care in English.

## What is a Nankai Trough "Megathrust Earthquake" alert?

The Meteorological Agency can issue **Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information (南海トラフ地震臨時情報)** after a large earthquake in the Nankai Trough monitoring area or unusual slow slip on the plate boundary. It first says the event is under investigation (調査中), for example after a magnitude 6.8 or larger quake. It then upgrades to one of the two levels below, or ends with investigation concluded (調査終了) if neither applies.

| Level | Trigger | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Megathrust Earthquake Attention (巨大地震注意) | Moment magnitude 7.0 or more in the monitoring area, or unusual slow slip on the plate boundary | About 1 week: keep normal life and work, recheck supplies, carry your grab bag, keep shoes by the bed |
| Megathrust Earthquake Alert (巨大地震警戒) | Moment magnitude 8.0 or more on the plate boundary in the assumed source area | About 2 weeks. Where a tsunami would arrive too fast to escape, evacuate in advance for the first week. Elsewhere, be ready to go |

The Cabinet Office stresses this is **not a prediction**: a big quake may or may not follow. If you have to pre-evacuate, it suggests staying with friends or family first and using a shelter only if you can't.

## Does insurance cover earthquake damage?

Not by default. The Ministry of Finance says renters' **fire insurance (火災保険) does not pay for fire caused by an earthquake**. Earthquake insurance (地震保険) is an add-on to a fire policy, set at 30% to 50% of the fire policy amount, up to ¥10 million for household goods. You can add it partway through a policy. For how renters' policies work and what they cost, see [renters' fire insurance in Japan](/housing/insurance/renters-fire-insurance-japan/).

More guides: [emergency numbers in Japan](/life/safety/emergency-numbers-japan/), [renters' fire insurance](/housing/insurance/renters-fire-insurance-japan/), [lost residence card](/visa/visas/lost-residence-card-japan/), [English-speaking hospitals](/life/health/english-speaking-hospital-japan/), [scams targeting foreigners](/life/safety/scams-japan-foreigners/).

## Questions people ask

### What should I do during an earthquake in Japan?

Protect your head under something sturdy and don't run outside, because objects can fall on you. When the shaking stops, turn off flames, open a door to secure an exit and watch for aftershocks. Near the coast, move to high ground right away if the shaking is strong or long.

### Is there an English earthquake alert app in Japan?

Yes. Safety Tips, from the Japan Tourism Agency, pushes earthquake early warnings, tsunami warnings and weather warnings in 15 languages, including English, Vietnamese, Nepali, Indonesian and Tagalog. Tokyo's Disaster Preparedness Tokyo app also has an English version.

### Can foreigners use evacuation centers in Japan?

Yes. Hamura and Fussa's English guide says anyone can use a shelter, with no nationality condition. Bring your own food, water, medicine and documents, because shelters are run by the people staying there.

### How much water should I store for an earthquake in Japan?

Japanese city guidance is 3 liters per person per day, for at least 3 days and ideally a week. A household of two needs at least 18 liters for 3 days.

### Does my fire insurance cover earthquakes?

No. The Ministry of Finance says fire insurance doesn't pay for fire caused by an earthquake. Earthquake insurance is an add-on to a fire policy, at 30% to 50% of the fire policy amount.

## Sources

- [Safety tips (app page)](https://www.jnto.go.jp/safety-tips/eng/app.html), Japan National Tourism Organization / Japan Tourism Agency (観光庁) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Disaster Preparedness Tokyo app](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/-/id1290558619), Tokyo Metropolitan Government (App Store listing) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [東京防災・東京くらし防災 外国語版](https://www.bousai.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/1028036/1028051/index.html), Tokyo Metropolitan Government (東京都) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Let's Build Daily Stockpiles (English leaflet, November 2022)](https://www.bousai.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/_res/common/bichiku/lief-e_r4_11.pdf), Tokyo Metropolitan Government (東京都) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [区報 2023年9月1日号 防災特集](https://www.city.koto.lg.jp/011501/kuse/koho/kuho/r05/090101t.html), Koto City (江東区) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Disaster prevention guide (English)](https://www.city.hamura.tokyo.jp/cmsfiles/contents/0000014/14755/english.pdf), Hamura City and Fussa City (羽村市・福生市) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [緊急地震速報のしくみ](https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/kishou/know/jishin/eew/shikumi/shikumi.html), Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [緊急地震速報の発表基準に長周期地震動が追加されました](https://www.city.chiba.jp/sogoseisaku/kikikanri/kikikanri/tyousyukikikikanri.html), Chiba City (千葉市) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [緊急速報メール](https://www.softbank.jp/mobile/service/urgent_news/), SoftBank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [津波警報・注意報、津波情報、津波予報について](https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/kishou/know/jishin/joho/tsunamiinfo.html), Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [南海トラフ地震臨時情報の発表条件](https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/kishou/know/jishin/nteq/info_criterion.html), Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Learn more about Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information](https://www.bousai.go.jp/jishin/nankai/rinji/nankai_e_learning_en/kojin_en/review/index.html), Cabinet Office, Disaster Management (内閣府 防災担当) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [ハザードマップポータルサイト](https://disaportal.gsi.go.jp/), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (国土交通省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171): introduction](https://www.ntt-east.co.jp/en/saigai/voice171s/intro.html), NTT East (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171): practice](https://www.ntt-east.co.jp/en/saigai/voice171s/howto.html), NTT East (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Disaster Emergency Message Dial Q&A](https://www.ntt-west.co.jp/dengon/english/qa/), NTT West (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [地震保険制度の概要](https://www.mof.go.jp/policy/financial_system/earthquake_insurance/jisin.htm), Ministry of Finance (財務省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)