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Whilst Japan is known as being a safe country, no country is entirely crime-less. It’s necessary to familiarise yourself with the safety of Japan before you arrive. You may be confused about how to cope with earthquakes or typhoons when they occur. Today we will discuss how foreigners visiting Japan can stay updated with information in emergencies, what to do in natural disasters, and areas where you should pay attention to your safety for the sake of people who are seriously thinking about safety in Japan.
Japan is the 9th-safest country in the world
According to the “Global Peace Index 2018”, a report published by the Thinktank Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), Japan ranks 9th in peacefulness in the world. The highest ranking countries have hardly any murder or terrorist cases, with Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Portugal, Denmark, Canada, the Czech Republic, Singapore and Ireland also ranking in the Top 10. If you have ever been to these countries, you should be able to imagine Japan’s level of safety.
Although the frequency of occurrence of heavy crimes is low in Japan, pickpocketing, theft, and molesting inside train carriages of cities and other crowded areas, as well as burglaries when nobody is at home and theft of bicycles is common in Japanese society. Please don’t be careless just because Japan is a “safe country”. If you encounter any issues, notify the police or talk to the staff at your nearest police box. Dial 110 to call the police and 119 to call an ambulance.
<Information from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department>
How to Reduce the Risk of Becoming a Victim of Crime
Furthermore, it’s important to know about natural disasters in a country like Japan, where people coexist with nature. Since Japan is located in the Pacific Rim, there are chances of earthquakes; between July and October, the beginning of summer until the end of autumn, there may be calamities due to typhoons; in midwinter, Hokkaido, the Tohoku region and areas facing the Sea of Japan may experience torrential snow. Having said that, there aren’t many problems in areas where local Japanese people live (basically, people can live life normally), even if earthquakes or typhoons do occur, no damage is done if they are small-scale natural disasters, and areas which are receive torrential snow can generally carry out distribution of goods without extended interferences. However, you should check for delays or cancellations of flights and public transport due to changes in weather.
How to stay updated with the latest safety information in Japan
How can I actually check the real-time safety information in my area? One way is by checking the latest information on natural disasters on the official twitter account @JapanSafeTravel published by Japan Safe Travel (JST), a platform run by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). This account posts advice relating to safety in English, so it is very helpful for travellers who have come from overseas.
JNTO also has a safety hotline for visitors from overseas, which runs 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. You can get detailed information if you inquire during a crisis, such as an incident or natural disaster. Informing your family in your home country of a phone number that can be reached from overseas will be helpful in the unlikely case that people lose contact of you.
《 JNTO visitor hotline 》
From Japan 050-3816-2787
From Overseas +81-50-3816-2787
Other resources include the Twitter account of Japan’s official broadcaster NHK (@NHKWORLD_News）and the Japan Meteorological Agency website. We advise that you prepare a few methods for staying updated with information that you need in an emergency for the sake of your own safety.
Areas known to be high-risk
In Japan, where public order is good, the areas with the highest crime rate are metropolitan areas with a high population density. Compared to world standards, the crime rate isn’t at a particularly serious level. However, take care not to lose your passport or money by keeping the following guidelines:
- Don’t carry large sums of cash with
- Prevent scamming by keeping your eyes on your credit card when you use it
- Don’t be fooled by the sweet-talk of strangers
- Don’t walk on empty streets
Tokyo
Kabukicho in Shinjuku, Roppongi, Shibuya and Ueno are known for having streets that are brightly lit by neon lights even at night. These areas have many bars, pubs, clubs and brothels, and tend to be involved with some kind of trouble. Please be cautious when alcohol is involved, paying attention to drink spiking and what is known as “bottakuri”, where customers are called into a restaurant by a tout and unfairly charged a high price.
Osaka
Osaka, which is home to the tourist spots Osaka Castle and Dotonbori, is said to be an area where you should be attentive to public order. The flipside to lively areas with many travellers is that crimes like purse-snatching are never-ending. Specifically, areas where you should be on alert are Umeda, Nanba and Shin-Sekai. However, many of those cases are preventable, simply by being more attentive.
Furthermore, Kamagasaki (Airin district) is known for being an area where there are many day labourers. Due to the fact that it has a “rough” atmosphere, it is said that even locals from Osaka don’t venture into the area.
the countryside
Although it is not dangerous for women to travel around Japan by themselves, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the areas that have naturally-occurring threats. For instance, Kuchinoerabu-jima in the Kagoshima prefecture in the Kyushu area has an active volcano that erupted at the beginning of 2019. There are 17 active volcanos in Kyushu; Mount Aso in the Kumamoto prefecture erupted in recent years and is consequently under water, but the others haven’t had many significant movements and the locals live on without any problems.
The safety of the Fukushima Prefecture, where radioactive material was leaked as a consequence of The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, is another point to observe. It has been announced that the observed amount of radioactive material in monitoring posts located in areas outside of the vicinity of the nuclear power plant is currently below 0.23 microsieverts per hour, the safety standard determined by the Japanese government as a result of decontamination and natural damping,
Carrying a “help card”
Fundamentally, it is highly unlikely that you will encounter a natural disaster in Japan. Even so, preparing yourself for the worst-case scenario is something that you should do, especially when staying in a foreign country.
The help card and earthquake-response manual that is provided free of charge online in Tokyo is a friendly option for people who don’t speak Japanese. In an disaster, networks may be down and phone/internet may be temporarily out of operation, so we suggest that you download these materials ahead of time.
A help card will help you in emergencies if you print it out, fill in your personal information and carry it with you. For example, if you or a friend get involved in a disaster or incident, you can refer to it to know what to say to receive help, where to be taken, and how to call an ambulance. By following the help card to get information, call for help and be informed of dangers etc., you will be able to better maintain your safety in Japan. You can also use it if you get a chronic disease or you are suddenly unwell.
The earthquake-response manual is also a treasure-trove of practical advice. In this manual are response-methods such as what is listed below, so make sure you download it!
- What to do if you are indoors or outdoors
- How to escape from tsunamis
- Emergency contacts
- etc How to use a fire extinguisher
Additionally, people who are staying in Japan for more than 3 months should take care to register their address and workplace through the Overseas Residential Registration. Information is also provided in languages other than English.