Daily News Portal

Tips for staying safe | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News


Information and some tips from Japan on earthquake survival.

Japan Post Group lets people who lost bank cards in Noto quake withdraw cash

Japan Post Group is taking measures for people affected by Monday’s major earthquake that hit the Sea of Japan side of central Japan.

For more:
Japan Post Group lets people who lost bank cards in Noto quake withdraw cash

Useful information for foreign tourists and residents

Here’s a list of quake-related support measures provided by local governments and other public organizations nationwide.

▼Immigration Services Agency

People whose visa applications have been disrupted by the earthquake should consult a nearby immigration office:

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001409334.pdf

▼Free Telephone Interpretation Service

BRIDGE MULTILINGUAL SOLUTIONS, a provider of interpretation and translation services, has launched a free “Telephone Interpretation Service.”

https://www.bridge-ms.com/news/

Provides phone interpretation for foreign residents who need to talk to government agencies or support staff about the earthquake. The service is available 24 hours a day, mainly in English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.

▼Free PDF Point Sheets for Disaster Assistance For Foreign Visitors

https://www.yubisashi.com/support_foreign_languages-2/

The sheets are available in English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Thai.

▼Ishikawa Prefecture: Helpline for residents and foreign tourists

Ishikawa Consultation Center for Foreign Residents have opened an email helpline for residents and foreign tourists in the prefecture in response to the earthquake. Consultations are available in Japanese, English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesian, Thai and Burmese.

https://support.ishikawa.jp

▼Ishikawa Prefecture: Information for foreigners

Kanazawa International Exchange Foundation offers a safety information service, telephone interpretation, and earthquake counseling for foreigners.

https://www.kief.jp

▼Niigata Prefecture: Information for foreigners

Niigata International Association is collecting information published by local governments in Niigata Prefecture, offered in multiple languages.

https://www.niigata-ia.or.jp/category/medical/

▼Toyama Prefecture: Information for foreigners

Toyama International Center has set up an earthquake consultation service for foreign residents, by phone and in-person. They are offered in Japanese, English, Chinese, Portuguese, and, for other languages, they will connect you with a remote interpreter.

https://www.tic-toyama.or.jp/topics/123.html

Ishikawa Prefecture offers multilingual information on shelters

Ishikawa Prefecture is posting on its website multilingual information on shelters that were opened for evacuees.

The website: Ishikawa Prefecture information portal

The prefecture’s disaster management portal uses machine translation to offer information in over 100 different languages. The prefecture is updating the original Japanese-language content as needed.

For more:
Disaster-hit Ishikawa Prefecture offers multilingual information on shelters

Government-affiliated banks to support smaller businesses in quake-hit areas

Financial institutions in Japan will provide funding to small and medium-sized businesses affected by the earthquake.

For more:
Govt.-affiliated banks to support smaller businesses in quake-hit areas

Support for housing

Joetsu City, Niigata Pref.: Disaster victim certificates issued

Authorities in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, started issuing disaster victim certificates on Thursday for people whose homes were damaged in the quake.

Residents were seen visiting the city hall from morning.

The certificates are a prerequisite for receiving public assistance. They note the extent of the damage to a person’s home, and are based on a survey conducted by the local government.

The earthquake measured upper five on the Japanese intensity scale of one to seven in Joetsu.

As of 3 p.m. on January 3, authorities had confirmed that 103 houses had sustained damage including fallen roof tiles and broken walls.

The certificates are issued on weekdays. Residents are advised to contact the city’s disaster countermeasures headquarters before applying.

Takaoka City, Toyama Pref.: Danger assessment ongoing

Authorities in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, are conducting an emergency danger assessment to determine which homes and buildings are at risk of collapse.

The earthquake measured upper five on the Japanese intensity scale of one to seven in Takaoka. Some houses are leaning, and some roads have suffered liquefaction.

Assessors were seen operating in the Fushikifurukokufu district on Wednesday. They checked a restaurant and attached the results to an exterior wall.

The city is urging people not to enter buildings classified as “dangerous” — the highest level on the assessment. The second-highest level is “Caution required.”

People can enter and use buildings classified as “surveyed.”

Major Japan mobile phone carriers offer relief measures for quake-hit users

Four major mobile phone carriers in Japan have come out with relief measures for subscribers affected by Monday’s devastating earthquake in central Japan.

For more:
Major Japan mobile phone carriers offer relief measures for quake-hit users

People affected by quake to be allowed to get medicines without prescription

Japan’s health ministry has issued a notice to prefectural governments and other entities saying such people should be allowed to get their medicine even if they have no prescription.

For more:
People affected by quake to be allowed to get medicines without prescription

Pregnant women in quake-hit areas to get checkups in other municipalities

Pregnant women in Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama and Fukui prefectures will be able to receive prenatal checkups in any municipalities where they evacuate to following Monday’s earthquake.

For more:
Pregnant women in quake-hit areas to get checkups in other municipalities

Helpline opens for residents and tourists in Ishikawa Prefecture

Authorities in Ishikawa Prefecture say they have opened an email helpline for residents and foreign tourists in the prefecture in response to the earthquake.

For more:
Helpline opens for residents and tourists in Ishikawa Prefecture

Evacuation and lifeline information (Japanese text only)

Ishikawa Prefecture

Toyama Prefecture

Niigata Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture



Read More:Tips for staying safe | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News