Kicking off the New Year with a Massive Earthquake in Japan
Earthquakes are never welcome, of course, but they hit harder on New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is traditionally the most important holiday in Japan. In 2024, Japan met the festival with a most inauspicious earthquake of magnitude 7.6 hitting the coast off the Noto peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture at 4:10 P.M. Tsunami alerts of up to 5 meters were immediately raised.
Of course, earthquakes are never welcome, but with most people celebrating the new year with their families at home, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Having to suddenly evacuate your home in a state of inebriation or risk possible death is not a pleasant situation to be in.
I was visiting my wife’s family in western Japan when I thought I felt a mild tremor. Moments later, our suspicions were confirmed when alerts appeared on the television screen.
On that day, the forces of nature battered down houses without caring about the calendar. Already, at least 82 people have perished and the window for rescue is closing. The extent of the damage and lives lost will become clearer in the days to come.
Shockingly, a Japan Coast Guard airplane that had been carrying emergency supplies to the disaster zone met with a tragedy of its own on the runway at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, after the incoming Japan Airlines aircraft JAL516 collided with the smaller plane.
Miraculously, all passengers and crew on JAL516 made it out safely before the plane was consumed by fire. No doubt, this was due to the cabin crew’s rigorous emergency training and the cooperation of the passengers.
Sadly, the Japan Coast Guard aircraft crew was not so lucky; 5 out of 6 people perished. Investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of the aviation accident. (Source: Five dead after JAL airliner crashes into quake aid plane at Tokyo airport | Reuters)
What to do if you experience an earthquake in Japan
In all my time living in Tokyo since 2016, I’ve been lucky that most earthquakes that I’ve experienced have been relatively minor (although there was a relatively frightening one in 2021).
As I explained in the article where I documented my experience, this is “the cost of living in a country that lies at the intersection zone of four major tectonic plates — the Pacific Plate, the Eurasian Plate, the North American Plate, and the Philippine Plate.”
The massive return of tourists to Japan post-COVID means that more than ever, many travelers not used to earthquakes might experience one while traveling the Japanese archipelago. If that happens to you, don’t panic. Here’s what you need to do:
- The immediate danger is from shrapnel from broken windows and falling objects. If you’re in a room, one thing to do is to seek immediate refuge under a table. If that is not possible, cover your head and neck with a pillow to protect against sharp objects.
- Wait for the tremor to subside.
- Secure an exit so you can evacuate at a moment’s notice. Please do not forget your shoes as the ground may be covered with broken glass and debris.
- Make sure all fire hazards are turned off.
For a more extensive earthquake reaction guide for other scenarios (for example, while on public transport, etc.), please refer to this document prepared by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
You may also wish to download the Safety Tips app (available in 14 languages) created by the Japan Tourism Agency so you can receive updates on earthquakes, tsunami, and other kinds of disasters.
The app is available in English, Chinese (Simplified・ Traditional), Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog, Nepali, Khmer, Burmese, and Mongolian.
To learn more about the damage a massive earthquake can do to Tokyo – one of the most built-up metropolitan areas in the world — be sure to read Yuko Tamura’s 3.11 — The Day The Great East Japan Earthquake Revealed Our Fragility.
It’s precisely unpredictable natural disasters that make us appreciate life a little more. On that note, I’d like to share an older article as a reminder to us all to cherish every moment.
Take care, and I wish you a great 2024.
©Alvin T. 2024
Interested in Japan, Japanese culture, or the Japanese language? Follow me! I write frequently about Japan-related topics on Japonica, where I am also an editor. Discover my most-read stories here.