Japan experiences more natural disasters per year than almost any other developed country. The three most likely to affect your trip are earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons — and each one requires a different response.
This guide covers all three. For deeper coverage on earthquake action by specific city and tourist location, see the Japan Earthquake Safety Guide.
Part 1 — Earthquakes
The first 30 seconds
Japan's earthquake early warning system (緊急地震速報, kinkyu jishin sokuho) sends an alert to smartphones seconds before shaking begins. If you feel shaking without a warning, the earthquake is already happening.
What to do in the first 30 seconds:
- Protect your head immediately. Get under a sturdy table or beside solid furniture. Use your bag, a pillow, or any available cover for your head.
- Open a nearby door. Building frames can warp during strong shaking and jam doors shut. An open door preserves an exit route.
- Do not use the elevator. Move to stairs only after shaking stops.
- Stay away from windows and large glass surfaces. Glass shatters outward and sideways — moving away from facades is more important than getting outside quickly.
After the shaking stops
- Check yourself for injuries before moving.
- Follow staff or evacuation announcements — in Japan, emergency broadcasts are issued in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean in major tourist areas.
- Do not re-enter a building that shows visible structural damage (cracked pillars, leaning walls, collapsed sections).
- Move to open ground away from buildings. High-rise glass and exterior cladding can fall for some time after shaking stops.
Seismic intensity scale — at a glance
Japan uses its own scale (震度, shindo), not the Richter or Moment Magnitude scale. The number you see on news broadcasts is the shindo at your location.
| Shindo | What you feel | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Slight sway, hanging objects move | No action needed |
| 3–4 | Clear shaking, items fall from shelves | Move away from shelving |
| 5 Lower / Upper | Difficult to stand; unsecured furniture moves | Take cover immediately |
| 6 Lower / Upper | Impossible to stand without support | Structural damage likely |
| 7 | Thrown off balance; major structural damage | Maximum level — full evacuation |
Part 2 — Tsunamis
How the warning system works
Japan's tsunami warning system issues three levels:
- Tsunami advisory (津波注意報): Wave height up to 1m. Move away from the water's edge.
- Tsunami warning (津波警報): Wave height 1–3m or higher. Evacuate to high ground immediately.
- Major tsunami warning (大津波警報): Wave height 3m or significantly higher. Full immediate evacuation — this is the maximum level.
Warnings arrive via J-Alert (the national emergency broadcast system), NHK World broadcasts, and the JNTO Safety Tips app. On your smartphone, a loud multi-tone alarm precedes the text alert.
Evacuation rules
- Start moving when shaking stops — do not wait for an official warning if you are on the coast. Strong coastal shaking is itself a tsunami signal.
- Move away from the coast and to high ground. Rivers and estuaries carry tsunami surges inland — move away from waterways too, not just the beach.
- On foot if possible. Traffic congestion traps vehicles during mass evacuations. If you cannot walk, drive only if the road ahead is clear.
- Follow the blue signs — tsunami evacuation buildings (津波避難ビル, tsunami hinan biru) are marked with a white background and blue wave symbol. These reinforced buildings can be used for vertical evacuation when high ground is not reachable in time.
- Do not descend after the first wave. Tsunami sequences often produce three or more waves, with later waves sometimes larger than the first. Wait for an official all-clear broadcast before leaving elevation.
Coastal warning times vary enormously by location
| Location | Approximate tsunami arrival after a Nankai Trough earthquake |
|---|---|
| Shima Peninsula coast (Mie) | 10–20 minutes |
| Kochi Prefecture coast | 10–30 minutes |
| Osaka Bay (inner bay) | 60–90 minutes |
| Nagoya Port (Ise Bay inner) | 90–120 minutes |
| Okinawa east coast | 5–15 minutes |
If you are at a coastal destination and feel strong shaking, your location's tsunami arrival time determines how much time you have. Do not use those minutes to retrieve belongings.
Part 3 — Typhoons
Typhoons receive less attention from international travellers than earthquakes — but they cancel more flights, strand more visitors, and affect more of Japan's tourist calendar than any other natural disaster.
When typhoons occur
Typhoon season in Japan runs June through October, with the peak period in August and September. Unlike earthquakes, typhoons are forecast days in advance, which means preparation is possible — and ignoring the forecast is a choice.
JMA typhoon intensity scale
Japan uses a wind-speed-based scale. This is different from the Saffir-Simpson scale used in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific.
| JMA category | Maximum sustained wind speed | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Typhoon | ≥ 17 m/s (61 km/h) | Umbrella useless; outdoor risk |
| Strong typhoon | ≥ 33 m/s (119 km/h) | Signage, bicycles become projectiles |
| Very strong typhoon | ≥ 44 m/s (158 km/h) | Structural risk; outdoor movement dangerous |
| Violent typhoon | ≥ 54 m/s (194 km/h) | Extreme — equivalent to Category 3–4 Atlantic hurricane |
Alert levels that trigger action
Japan's prefectural governments issue escalating advisories as a typhoon approaches. These appear in the JNTO Safety Tips app and NHK World broadcasts.
| Japanese term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 注意報 | *Chuiho* | Advisory — be cautious |
| 警報 | *Keiho* | Warning — damage possible, prepare |
| 特別警報 | *Tokubetsu keiho* | Special warning — extreme event, rare designation |
| 避難指示 | *Hinan shiji* | Evacuation order — legally mandated departure |
If you receive an 避難指示 (evacuation order) via J-Alert or local broadcast: leave the building immediately and go to the nearest designated evacuation shelter (避難所, hinanjo). Hotel staff will direct you.
What to do when a typhoon is approaching
One to two days before landfall:
- Check the JMA typhoon track at jma.go.jp — the forecast cone shows the projected path for the next five days.
- Contact your airline to check for pre-emptive cancellations. ANA and JAL both offer no-fee date changes and full refunds for flights cancelled due to natural disasters. Do this proactively rather than waiting for the airline to contact you.
- Check Shinkansen status on the JR operator's website for your region — JR Tokai, JR West, JR East each manage different segments.
- Stock 1–2 days of food and water in your accommodation. Convenience stores sell out within hours once a major typhoon warning is issued.
- Charge all devices. Have a power bank ready.
On the day of typhoon landfall:
- Stay in your accommodation. This is the core rule. The most common typhoon injuries in urban areas are from flying debris — signs, bicycles, broken glass — encountered by people who ventured outside.
- Move away from windows. Wind pressure can fracture glass. Close curtains or blinds to reduce the radius of glass fragments if a window breaks.
- Do not go near rivers, drainage canals, or low-lying underpasses. Water levels rise extremely rapidly during heavy typhoon rain.
- If you are in a low-lying area or near a steep slope and receive an evacuation advisory, leave before conditions make movement dangerous — not after.
After the typhoon passes:
- Roads, bridges, and public transport resume inspection before service restarts — expect delays of hours to a full day after the storm centre passes.
- Check your airline and rail operator's app before heading to the airport or station.
- Avoid rivers and landslide-prone slopes for 24–48 hours after the storm — ground is saturated and secondary landslides occur.
Typhoons and your travel insurance
Flight and train cancellations due to a typhoon are classified as natural disasters. If your travel insurance includes a natural disaster rider, you may be able to claim additional accommodation and meal costs during an extended delay. See Japan Travel Insurance — Does Your Policy Cover Earthquakes? for what documents to collect.
Emergency Japanese phrases
| Situation | Japanese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help me | 助けてください | *Tasukete kudasai* |
| Where is the evacuation shelter? | 避難場所はどこですか？ | *Hinanbasho wa doko desu ka?* |
| When will the typhoon pass? | 台風はいつ通過しますか？ | *Taifu wa itsu tsuka shimasu ka?* |
| Are the trains running? | 電車は動いていますか？ | *Densha wa ugoite imasu ka?* |
| Is there anyone who speaks English? | 英語ができる人はいますか？ | *Eigo ga dekiru hito wa imasu ka?* |
| I am injured | けがをしています | *Kega wo shite imasu* |
| Please call an ambulance | 救急車を呼んでください | *Kyuukyuusha wo yonde kudasai* |
Emergency numbers in Japan:
- 119 — Ambulance and fire (free to call; English interpretation available on request)
- 110 — Police
- JNTO Tourist Helpline — 050-3816-2787 (24/7, multilingual)
Essential apps — download before departure
| App | What it does |
|---|---|
| **JNTO Safety Tips** | Official Japan Tourism Agency app — earthquake, tsunami, and typhoon alerts in multiple languages. First install for any Japan trip. |
| **NHK World** | English-language emergency broadcasts and live typhoon/earthquake coverage |
| **NERV防災 (NERV Bosai)** | Japan's fastest earthquake and weather alert app — Japanese interface, but real-time data |
| **JMA** | Japan Meteorological Agency — typhoon track maps and earthquake intensity maps |
Before you go: checklist
- Install JNTO Safety Tips — turn on push notifications
- If travelling June–October: check typhoon forecasts in the week before departure
- Confirm airline's natural disaster cancellation and refund policy before booking
- Check travel insurance for natural disaster rider (earthquake injuries and typhoon cancellations)
- Save your country's embassy or consulate number — find it at the JNTO website
- Save JNTO Tourist Helpline: 050-3816-2787
Official resources
- JMA Earthquake Information (English) — jma.go.jp/bosai/earthquake
- JMA Typhoon Track (English) — jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=typhoon
- NHK World Emergency Broadcasts — nhk.or.jp/nhkworld
- JNTO Tourist Helpline — 050-3816-2787 (24/7, multilingual)
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