As mentioned in the Minami Nippon Shimbun article dated September 9, efforts to raise disaster prevention awareness among foreign residents have become an extremely important issue in Japan. Japan is a country where natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and tsunamis occur frequently, and whether foreign residents are adequately prepared for disasters is not only a matter of their own safety, but also of disaster prevention capabilities of the whole community. This article introduces specific efforts to raise disaster prevention awareness among foreign residents, including some examples, and discusses their effects and challenges.
1.Providing disaster prevention information in multiple languages
Actual example: Initiatives of Yokohama City
Yokohama City is one of the cities where many foreign residents live, and they provide disaster prevention information in multiple languages to improve disaster prevention awareness. Specifically, it has created and distributed a Disaster Prevention Handbook that can be used on a daily basis in preparation for disasters in multiple languages other than Japanese, including English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Spanish. This handbook provides easy-to-understand information on how to respond in the event of a disaster, evacuation sites, contact information, etc., and allows foreign residents to quickly check the information they need on their own.
Additionally, Yokohama City provides disaster prevention information in multiple languages on a daily basis through its website and SNS. When disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons are predicted, it provides real-time information and encourage people to evacuate. Through these efforts, foreign residents are now able to obtain necessary information even if they do not understand Japanese, contributing to improving disaster prevention awareness.
2.Disaster prevention drill at the Multicultural Center
Actual example: Initiatives at the Multicultural Coexistence Center in Ikuno Ward, Osaka City
Ikuno Ward, Osaka City, is known as an area where many foreign residents live. The “Osaka City Ikuno Ward Multicultural Coexistence Center” in this area regularly holds disaster prevention drills for foreign residents. The drills include lectures to help foreign residents understand Japan’s disaster prevention system and evacuation behavior in the event of a disaster, as well as practical training to experience moving to an evacuation site.
A feature of this initiative is that it provides disaster prevention training from a foreigner’s perspective. For example, to overcome the language barrier, it provides simultaneous interpretation and use simple Japanese and illustrated materials that are easy for foreign residents to use. Through group work among foreigners, it also supports the building of networks that can help each other in times of disaster. Through this, participants learn specific ways to respond in the event of an actual disaster and increase their awareness as members of the local disaster prevention community.
3.Disaster prevention workshop in collaboration with local residents
Example: Disaster prevention workshop in Nagoya City
Nagoya City has an initiative in which local residents and foreign residents jointly participate in disaster prevention workshops. This workshop is held in collaboration with local residents’ associations and disaster prevention organizations, and is designed for foreigners and Japanese residents to learn together about disaster preparedness.
The content of the workshop is wide-ranging, including confirming evacuation routes, introducing how to use disaster prevention goods, and discussing how to prepare in the event of a disaster. In particular, explanations about Japan’s disaster culture and disaster prevention system will be provided, allowing foreign residents to learn the basics of disaster response in Japan. In addition, the workshops deepen interactions between Japanese and foreign residents and contribute to raising awareness of mutual aid in times of disaster.
4.Providing disaster information through foreign language broadcasts
Actual example: NHK World Japan’s initiatives
In the event of a disaster, accurate and prompt information provision is required even to foreign residents. NHK World Japan broadcasts news and disaster information in multiple languages, including English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese, for foreigners staying in Japan. In particular, in the event of a large-scale disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami, or typhoon, we make emergency broadcasts and provide evacuation calls, damage information, and support information.
Multilingual broadcasts like this play an important role in allowing foreign residents to obtain the information they need without experiencing language barriers. Additionally, since information can be obtained anytime and anywhere through the Internet or smartphones, it greatly contributes to raising disaster prevention awareness among foreign residents.
5.Multilingualization and distribution of disaster prevention maps
Example: Distribution of disaster prevention maps in Kobe City
Kobe City is an area that experienced the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, and is focusing on disaster prevention. As part of this effort, it is creating and distributing multilingual disaster prevention maps for foreign residents. This disaster prevention map details evacuation shelters, evacuation routes, water and food supply locations, and the location of medical facilities.
Kobe City’s disaster prevention map is available in languages such as Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Nepali, and distribution is being stepped up especially in areas where foreign residents are concentrated. It can also be downloaded online and easily referenced on smartphones, allowing foreign residents to easily check disaster prevention information at any time.
6.Information dissemination using SNS
Actual example: Initiatives in Tokyo
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is making use of SNS to strengthen the provision of disaster prevention information to foreign tourists and residents. It disseminates emergency information and disaster prevention information in multiple languages through major SNS accounts such as Twitter and Facebook. This allows foreign residents and tourists to obtain real-time information and take appropriate evacuation actions.
Furthermore, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has established a system to respond to inquiries from foreigners on SNS, and multilingual staff can respond quickly in the event of an emergency. This initiative takes advantage of the speed and ease of access of SNS, and has greatly contributed to raising disaster prevention awareness among foreign residents.
Conclusion
In order to raise disaster prevention awareness among foreign residents, a variety of efforts are necessary, such as providing information in multiple languages, disaster prevention drills, interacting with local residents, and promoting multicultural coexistence. These efforts are important not only for foreign residents to be fully prepared for disasters and to ensure their own safety, but also to improve the disaster prevention capabilities of the local community as a whole.
These initiatives being carried out across Japan can be said to be exemplary examples of providing an environment where foreign residents can live with peace of mind. In the future, various efforts to raise disaster prevention awareness among foreigners will continue to be promoted and further improvements will be required.