Japan’s disaster preparedness strategies face growing challenges as the country contends with an increasing number of foreign residents and tourists unfamiliar with local emergency protocols. On Wednesday night, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the southern part of Japan’s late prefecture, registering as a moderate tremor amid ongoing recovery efforts from recent typhoons and looming heavy rains and landslides.

While Japan has long considered natural disasters a part of life—regularly conducting earthquake drills and commemorating the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake with nationwide emergency exercises—experts warn that its contingency plans have not evolved to meet the needs of a changing population.

Japan now hosts over 4 million foreign nationals, with approximately 715,000 residing in Tokyo alone. Additionally, the tourism sector experienced a record 42.7 million arrivals in 2025, with government targets aiming for 60 million by 2030. This surge in foreigners, many of whom do not speak Japanese or understand the country’s warning systems, presents significant obstacles in crisis communication and disaster response.

Akiyoshi Kikuchi, an associate professor of disaster sociology at Meisei University, noted that while progress has been made in supporting foreign residents, the response to tourists remains insufficient. He emphasized the importance of creating tailored support systems that address the differing circumstances and needs of residents versus visitors.

In response, Tokyo unveiled a new decade-long disaster prevention plan last month aimed at reducing the potential death toll from a major earthquake, previously estimated at 18,000. The plan stresses the importance of stockpiling emergency supplies and community engagement, and notably incorporates measures to provide rapid, multilingual information on medical aid, evacuation routes, and shelters specifically for the foreign community. The plan references the chaos following the 1996 Kobe earthquake, which was exacerbated by a lack of accessible information for non-Japanese speakers.

Despite these efforts, challenges persist beyond Tokyo. Andrew Mitchell, a UK-born sociology associate professor at Kumamoto University who experienced the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes firsthand, described prolonged confusion due to limited information for foreigners. “There were lots of rumours, but no clear information,” he said, highlighting the critical need for accurate communication channels tailored to foreign residents in times of crisis.

Motivated by these experiences, Mitchell founded the Kumamoto Earthquake Experience Project to support foreign residents during disasters. Kumamoto prefecture has since improved its emergency infrastructure and communication networks for non-Japanese speakers, collaborating with foreign community groups.

However, similar shortcomings were evident during the 2024 magnitude 7.6 earthquake on the Noto peninsula, where inadequate disaster training and language barriers once again hindered the response for foreign visitors. Mitchell pointed out that while long-term foreign residents typically adapt to local safety practices, tourists with limited language skills and less experience in earthquakes face significant risks. “The priority must be to get them to evacuation centers,” he said, emphasizing that Japan's overall disaster resilience may not fully compensate for communication gaps caused by language barriers.

As Japan’s profile as a destination and home to a diverse foreign population grows, these concerns underscore the urgent need for adaptable, inclusive disaster preparedness plans that effectively address the needs of all residents and visitors.