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What to do in a Japan earthquake

Draft pillar guide. Every line below is quoted from, or translated from, the Japan Meteorological Agency, FDMA, Tokyo Fire Department, the Cabinet Office and the Prime Minister’s Office. WardReady adds no survival instructions of its own.

Sources checked 1 Nov 2026 JSTStatus Draft v1 · not native-checked
In an emergency, call 119 (fire/ambulance) or 110 (police), and follow instructions from JMA, your ward and local officials. Official English quotes are marked green; WardReady translations of Japanese originals are marked navy and keep the original text. If a translation and the original differ, the original prevails.

緊急地震速報Earthquake Early Warning: the first seconds

Translated · JMA 気象庁

“With an Earthquake Early Warning there are only a few seconds to a few tens of seconds between seeing or hearing it and the arrival of strong shaking. You need to act to protect yourself in that short time.”

“The basic rule when you see or hear an Earthquake Early Warning is, while calling out to people around you, to ‘stay calm and first secure your own safety, according to your surroundings’.”

“Whether you see or hear the warning before you feel the shaking, or feel the shaking before the warning, what you do is the same.”

原文 (Japanese original)

緊急地震速報は、情報を見聞きしてから地震の強い揺れが来るまでの時間が数秒から数十秒しかありません。その短い間に身を守るための行動を取る必要があります。

緊急地震速報を見聞きしたときの行動は、まわりの人に声をかけながら「周囲の状況に応じて、あわてずに、まず身の安全を確保する」ことが基本です。

地震の揺れを感じる前に緊急地震速報を見聞きしたときも、緊急地震速報を見聞きする前に地震の揺れを感じたときも、行動内容は同じです。

— 気象庁「緊急地震速報を見聞きしたときは」: https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/kishou/know/jishin/eew/koudou/koudou.html · checked 1 Nov 2026
Translated · Prime Minister’s Office 首相官邸

“An Earthquake Early Warning (警報 warning) is issued when shaking of seismic intensity 5-lower or more, or long-period ground motion class 3 or more, is predicted. It is delivered by TV, radio, mobile phones, smartphones and municipal disaster radio.”

“However, in places close to the epicentre the warning may, in principle, not arrive before the strong shaking.”

原文 (Japanese original)

震度５弱以上または長周期地震動階級３以上の揺れが予想された場合に発表。テレビ、ラジオ、携帯電話、スマートフォン、防災行政無線などで伝えられます。

ただし、震源に近い場所では、強い揺れの到達に緊急地震速報が原理的に間に合わない場合があります。

— 首相官邸「地震への備えと身の守り方」: https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/headline/bousai/jishin.html · page updated Oct 2026 · checked 1 Nov 2026

JMA’s English page on the Earthquake Early Warning system: https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/Activities/eew.html.

地震だ！まず身の安全When the shaking starts

Official English · Tokyo Fire Department 東京消防庁

QUAKE! Protect Yourself First.

  • “Be prepared and protect yourself from an earthquake when you hear an earthquake warning announcement or feel a quake.”
  • “Stay under a large table until a quake is gone. Keep yourself safe from falling or moving objects during a quake.”

High-rise Building with 10 or More Floors

  • “Upper floors may be shaken for several minutes.”
  • “Large, slow shakes may let the furniture fall down or move across the room.”
— 東京消防庁「地震 その時10のポイント」English PDF: https://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/content/000094296.pdf (Japanese page updated 12 Dec 2025: point10) · checked 1 Nov 2026

場所別の行動Where you are: what officials say to do

Translated from the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan, “地震発生時の身の守り方（場所別の行動）”. It begins: “If you feel shaking or see or hear an Earthquake Early Warning, stay calm and first secure your own safety. Then calmly try to get accurate information from TV, radio, the internet and other means.”

At home, indoors家庭で屋内
  • To protect yourself from moving furniture and falling objects, protect your head, move away from large furniture and take cover under a sturdy desk or similar.
  • Do not rush outside.
  • If you are using fire for cooking or heating: if you can put it out where you are, deal with it; if you are away from the flame, do not go out of your way to put it out.
  • Open a door to secure an escape route.
Crowded facilities人が大勢いる施設
  • Stay calm and follow instructions from facility staff or employees.
  • If staff give no instructions, protect your head where you are and take a safe posture to brace for the shaking.
  • Move out from under hanging lights and similar.
  • Do not rush to the exits or stairs.
In an elevatorエレベーター
  • Stop it at the nearest floor and get off immediately.
Outdoors屋外
  • Watch out for collapsing concrete-block walls and toppling vending machines, and move away from them.
  • Watch out for falling building walls, signboards and broken window glass, and move away from buildings.
Near mountains or cliffs山やがけ付近
  • Watch out for falling rocks and cliff collapses, and move away from there as far as you can.
On a train or bus鉄道・バス
  • Hold on firmly to a strap or handrail.
Driving自動車運転中
  • Do not swerve or brake suddenly; slow down gradually.
  • Turn on your hazard lights to alert cars around you, and stop on the left side of the road.
— 首相官邸「地震への備えと身の守り方」 (page updated Oct 2026): https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/headline/bousai/jishin.html · checked 1 Nov 2026. Japanese original shown under each card.

揺れがおさまったらRight after the shaking stops

Official English · Tokyo Fire Department 東京消防庁

Keep Calm. Check All Fire Sources. Put Out Fire Quickly. “If you were using any sources of fire or heat, turn them off when the shaking calms down. If a fire starts, put it out quickly and calmly.”

Keep Calm. Panic May Cause You Injuries. “Be careful of fallen objects or shattered glass in the home. Stay inside. Roof tiles, broken window glass or signboards may fall down and hit you.”

Make Sure You Have Ways Out: Open Doors And Windows. “Secure an exit for escape when the shaking stops.”

Keep Away From Gateposts And Walls. “If you feel an earthquake outside, stay away from concrete walls and other objects which may fall over.”

— 東京消防庁「地震 その時10のポイント」English PDF: https://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/content/000094296.pdf · checked 1 Nov 2026
Translated · FDMA 消防庁

“1. Ensure your safety. First check your surroundings and secure your own safety. If you act in a rush, you may be injured by fallen furniture or scattered glass. During small shaking, or after the shaking stops, open windows and doors to secure an exit.”

原文 (Japanese original)

１.身の安全の確保　まずは周囲を確認。身の安全を確保しましょう。●あわてて行動すると、転倒した家具類、飛び散ったガラスの破片等でケガをする恐れがあります。●小さな揺れの時、又は揺れがおさまった後に、窓や戸を開け、出口を確保しましょう。

— 消防庁「地震防災マニュアル」揺れが収まったら: https://www.fdma.go.jp/relocation/bousai_manual/lat/later10.html · checked 1 Nov 2026

地震後の行動After the earthquake

Official English · Tokyo Fire Department 東京消防庁
  • Make Sure Your Family And Neighbors Are Safe. “After you confirm your family’s safety, check your neighbors’ safety and if fires broke out nearby.”
  • Work Together On Firefighting, Rescue And First Aid. “Work together to prevent fire spread by street fire extinguishers when you find a fire in your neighborhood. Work with your neighbors to free victims from under debris or fallen furniture and to give first aid.”
  • Get The Right Information. Take The Right Action. “Get accurate information sent by the government, broadcasting stations and railroad companies.”
  • Make Sure Electricity And Gas Are Off Before Evacuation. “In need of evacuation, turn off circuit breakers and the gas at the main before your evacuation, to prevent electrical shorts which may result in an electric fire after recovery and gas leakage.”
  • Stay Away From Fires And Tsunami. “Call out to each other and take refuge in a temporary assembly spot or evacuation area when the community faces a large fire that endangers and threatens lives. Leave the coast as soon as possible for a higher and safer place in the event of a large quake or tsunami warning at the seaside or riverside.”
— 東京消防庁「地震 その時10のポイント」English PDF: https://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/content/000094296.pdf · checked 1 Nov 2026

Find your ward’s evacuation areas and shelters: Chiyoda · Chuo · Minato · Shinjuku · Bunkyo · Taito · Sumida · Koto · Shinagawa · Meguro · Ota · Setagaya · Shibuya · Nakano · Suginami · Toshima · Kita · Arakawa · Itabashi · Nerima · Adachi · Katsushika · Edogawa.

大都市で地震に遭遇した時In a big city: don’t move around unnecessarily

Translated · Prime Minister’s Office 首相官邸

“The basic rule: after first securing your safety, do not start moving around unnecessarily. Think about staying in a safe place.”

“On the roads many dangers are expected, such as objects falling from above in aftershocks and fires along the way, so do not move unnecessarily from a safe place.”

“In very crowded places such as around stations, crowd collapses where people fall like dominoes are more likely, so stay away from station areas.”

“For about 3 days after the quake, confusion will continue because fire response and rescue and emergency work take priority, so first think about staying in a safe place to protect yourself.”

原文 (Japanese original)

まずは、身の安全を確保した後、むやみに移動を開始しないことが基本！安全な場所にとどまることを考えましょう。

道路では余震で頭上から物が落下してきたり、道中に火災が起こっていたりするなど、数多くの危険が予想されますので、安全な場所からはむやみに移動しないようにしましょう。

駅周辺等大混雑している場所では、人が将棋倒しになる集団転倒が起きやすくなりますので、駅周辺には近づかないようにしましょう。

発生3日程度は火災の発生や救助・救急活動優先のため、混乱状態が続きますので、まず身を守るために安全な場所にとどまることを考えましょう。

— 首相官邸「地震への備えと身の守り方」: https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/headline/bousai/jishin.html · page updated Oct 2026 · checked 1 Nov 2026

安否確認Contacting family: 171 and message boards

Translated · Prime Minister’s Office 首相官邸

“Disaster Message Dial: call 171 (no area code) to record a message; family members who know your phone number can play it back. Available from landlines, public phones, some IP phones, and mobile phones.”

“Disaster message boards: register text using an internet service; family who know your phone number can view it. Available from mobile phones. During a disaster, a guide to the message board appears at the top of mobile carriers’ official sites.”

“To be able to use them when needed, try them during the trial periods: the 1st and 15th of every month; 1–3 January; 15–21 January (Disaster Prevention and Volunteer Week); 30 August – 5 September (Disaster Prevention Week).”

原文 (Japanese original)

局番なしの「171」に電話をかけると伝言を録音でき、自分の電話番号を知っている家族などが、伝言を再生できます。※ 一般加入電話や公衆電話、一部のIP電話からご利用できます。※ 携帯電話からもご利用できます。

災害用伝言板　インターネットサービスを使用して文字情報を登録し、自分の電話番号を知っている家族などが、情報を閲覧できます。…災害時に、通信会社の公式サイトのトップ画面に「災害用伝言板」の案内が表示されます。

毎月１日・15日／正月三が日（1月1日～3日）／防災とボランティア週間（1月15日～21日）／防災週間（8月30日～9月5日）

— 首相官邸「災害への備え 事前にできること」: https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/headline/bousai/sonae.html · page updated Oct 2026 · checked 1 Nov 2026

南海トラフ地震臨時情報Nankai Trough “Extra Information”

Translated · Prime Minister’s Office 首相官邸

“When the possibility of a Nankai Trough earthquake is assessed to be relatively higher than normal, JMA issues ‘Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information’. It is issued with one of four keywords: Under investigation (調査中), Megathrust Earthquake Alert (巨大地震警戒), Megathrust Earthquake Attention (巨大地震注意), Investigation completed (調査終了).”

原文 (Japanese original)

南海トラフ地震発生の可能性が平常時と比べて相対的に高まっていると評価された場合などに、気象庁から「南海トラフ地震臨時情報」が発表されます。南海トラフ地震臨時情報は、「調査中」「巨大地震警戒」「巨大地震注意」「調査終了」の4種類のキーワードのいずれかを付けて発表されます。

— 首相官邸「地震への備えと身の守り方」: https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/headline/bousai/jishin.html · page updated Oct 2026 · checked 1 Nov 2026
Official English · Cabinet Office 内閣府防災

“Using current science and technology, itʼs difficult to accurately predict the timing, magnitude, and location of earthquakes. Even if Extra Information is issued, thereʼs no way to know if an earthquake will actually occur. Daily preparedness is fundamental to earthquake disaster readiness.”

Megathrust Earthquake Attention: “it is important to continue your daily life and work as normal. Reconfirm your earthquake preparedness on a daily basis, and take special precautions, such as carrying emergency supplies, and sleeping with shoes next to your bedside so you can evacuate quickly.” Protective measures are “generally implemented for one week after the earthquake occurred.”

Megathrust Earthquake Alert: “In areas where itʼs not possible to evacuate after an earthquake has occurred, such as those facing rapid tsunami arrival, you should evacuate to a safe place in advance. In other areas, you should avoid risks and be prepared to evacuate at any time. Check in advance what applies to your area.” The period “is two weeks after the earthquake occurred.”

— Cabinet Office, “What to do when Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information is issued — Answers and Explanations” (Residents of Japan): https://www.bousai.go.jp/jishin/nankai/rinji/nankai_e_learning/pdf/kojin_en.pdf · e-learning: https://www.bousai.go.jp/jishin/nankai/rinji/nankai_e_learning_en/ · checked 1 Nov 2026

出典Sources and dates

Draft status. English translations by WardReady, not yet reviewed by a professional translator. Vietnamese, Nepali, Indonesian, Tagalog and Burmese versions will follow after native-speaker checks.