Tokyo guide major earthquakes safety

Shelter,or Hinanjo
Evacuation route
Temporary gathering place
Evacuation area
A Guide for the Safety of You and Your Family
Family meeting location
(in case separated)
Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
YOUR BEST PRECAUTIONS ARE THE BEST PREVENTION

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10
23
14
16
18
20
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9
Vehicle Traffic Control Process in the Event of a Major Earthquake
How to Behave When an Earthquake Warning Has Been Declared
Preface
Two years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11, 2011. It was a
magnitude 9.0 with the biggest scale ever observed in Japan.
In Tokyo, the quake registered 5 on the Japanese intensity scale, causing deaths/injuries and damaging
houses. The scenes of stranded commutation passengers and the damage by soil liquefaction phenomena
that could be observed mainly in such a big city as Tokyo are fresh in our memory.
Experts of the Japan Central Disaster Management Council pointed out that a major earthquake of seismic
intensity 6 or greater might be imminent, to some degree, with an epicenter directly below Tokyo and
adjacent prefectures. The committee of the Headquarters of Earthquake Research Promotion also estimated
that the probabilities are 70 percent that a major earthquake will directly hit the metropolitan area within
the next 30 years.
Japan is a quake-prone country. There is no telling when and where a big quake can occur.
For this reason, it is important for you to have a constant awareness of such imminent tremors and to
take precautions before the time comes.
And even when the time comes, you can seek the “public-help” from administrative authorities to cope
with the situation. In addition to this help, there are other helps indispensable for safety; namely the “self-
help” that each one of the citizens will initiate and the “community-help” that you will render with block
association members, volunteers from work, or local group. Remember that these “helps” will form the
base structure when you work together to save lives and for post-disaster recovery/revitalization strategies.
This guide pamphlet has been designed to help you enhance your situational awareness and take imme-
diate action when something does occur.
We hope that this guide will serve the needs of you and your family as well as people around.
Missions of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD)
in the Event of Major Earthquakes
Basic Preparedness for an Earthquake
Earthquake Warning
How to Behave When an Earthquake Strikes
How to Evacuate
Tips for Drivers to Keep in Mind
Other Topics
CONTENTS
Illustrated by Bonten Yumeno
Unauthorized reprint/copy of the illustrations in the booklet is prohibited.

1
Missions of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD)
in the Event of Major Earthquakes
Search/Rescue Disaster Victims and Guide
the Community to Safer Locations
Search for Missing Persons or Cross-check
Information Concerned
Restrict the Traffic
In the event of major earthquakes, the TMPD will give it all we’ve got to protect the lives and bodies of citizens of Tokyo
and those who commute to office or school in Tokyo by seaching/rescuing disaster victims or guiding the community to
safer locations, restricting the traffic, and searching for missing persons or cross-checking information concerned.
We’d very much appreciate it if you could act as directed or guided by police officers.
We’ll search and rescue people trapped in a
building or vehicle or under a destroyed house
or toppled furniture.
We’ll help people evacuate or guide them to
safer locations.
Right after a major earthquake occurs, we’ll start
restricting the traffic. For details, see pages 18
and 19.
We’ll secure the “Routes for Authorized Em-
ergency Vehicles” or restrict the traffic near the
areas of destroyed buildings to avert any traffic
accidents.
We’ll search for missing persons and cross-
check information concerned.

2
Check for hazards in the home
Check for hazards outdoors
A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
In the event of an earthquake, collapsing of houses may account for so much of human damage. For this reason, you
should periodically check for potential hazards in the outside of a house, its surrounding cement block walls, and other
spots.
During the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (in 1995), almost all furniture fell over, and so many people were trapped
under wardrobes and other objects. Experts say that high-rise buildings such as an apartment building are susceptible to
the “Long-period Earthquake Ground Motion” and as a result, furniture and other heavy things in a room are most likely
to fall down. In order for your family members to avoid being injured, you should be better prepared to take a critical look
at potential hazards in the home.
Check
Do you place no boxes on upper places, such as on top
of furniture, to prevent falling?
Do you secure furniture with a locking device?
Do you have furniture in a bed room that might easily
topple over?
Do you use some safety device to prevent electric app-
liances, such as television sets, from tipping over?
Do you use some safety device to prevent windows from
shattering?
Do you keep rooms neat and organized?
Do you keep the areas of entrance doors or corridors or
stairs clear from furniture or boxes to prevent blocking
the way?
Check
Do you identify any cracks that have begun to appear on
the outside walls?
Do you identify any pillars that have been bent or dam-
aged?
Do you identify any roofing materials (such as roof titles
or corrugated iron sheets or slates) that have been dam-
aged?
Do you identify any handrails on a veranda or balcony
that have been damaged?
Do you identify any outdoor units of air-conditioners up
above a veranda that have developed a wobble?
Do you identify any cement block walls or gate posts
that have been unstable?
Do you identify any potential danger around your house?
Other than those above, you can ask an expert to conduct an earthquake-resistance inspection of your house.
(For more information, call advisory services at a local municipal office in your ward, city, town, or village.)
Place at your bedside a flashlight or whistle in case the light goes out, and also a pair of shoes or slippers that will help
you protect your feet against potential injury.
Do you latch cupboard doors or bookshelves to prevent
contents from falling?

3
Information-gathering devices
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GET EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KITS READY
Stock at least the bare necessities of life. They will help you wait for rescuers, or survive until relief supplies arrive.
Keep at least a three-day supply of drinking water and non-perishable food.
Keep your emergency supplies kit in a backpack, so that you can set both hands free.
Keep your valuables and emergency supplies kit at different places, and protect them against possible stealth attempts.
Check
Drinking water (three liters of water considered necessary
for one person per day)
Emergency food (such as canned food, a form of processed
quick-cooking rice called the “Alpha Rice” or ready-to-eat
food)
Flashlight and extra batteries
Helmet
Leather or cotton-made work gloves
Extra clothes, towel
Rain gear (ex., a raincoat, etc.)
Shoes and thick socks
Paper, Moist towelettes
Toilet paper
Face mask
Safety matches or lighter
Candles
Medicine (incl. non-prescription drugs)
Aluminum-made thermal sheet
Heavy-duty plastic sheeting
Toys (if you have kids to please with)
Check
Cash
Personal identification
(ex., driver’s license, etc.)
Name stamp
Bankbook
National Health Insurance card
Check
Pocket-sized radio
Cell phone and emergency battery charger
10-yen coins (for a pay phone)
Family photos (for identity confirmation
in case separated)
Paper, pens, and pencils
Hazard map
(made by local governments)
Share the information on those places among the family members ahead of time. Keep them accessible by any member
of your family in case they need to grab them and leave immediately.
Paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils
Kitchen food wrap
Whistle (to call for help)
Powdered milk and disposable diapers (if you have babies)

4
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STOCK AND CHECK EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KIT
The following items will comfort you somewhat while at
a shelter.
The following items will assist you in searching your
family or neighbors.
Minimize emergency supplies, and keep them as com-
pact as possible.
Keep your emergency supplies kit where it will be easily
accessible by the family.
It would be a good idea to stock the kit in a closet or
inside a car in case the house collapses.
Check expiration dates of the foods and drinking water
stocked. Periodically replace batteries and fuel.
Check Check
Blanket
Tent and sleeping bag
Portable gas cooker
Portable plastic water
container
Soap or shampoo
(waterless type)
Portable toilet
Paper-made underwear
Disposable body warmers
Feminine supplies
Portable rice cooking gadgets
(known as a Kocher set)
Masking tapes
Crowbar
Saw
Hammer
Ladder
Fire extinguisher
Buckets
Shovel
Rope

5
The record says that when the Great East Japan Earthquake hit (in 2011), high-rise buildings---though located a few
hundreds km away from the epicenter---became subject to the influence of the “Long-period Earthquake Ground Mo-
tion.” Some people were trapped in the elevators when they stopped. The interior was damaged at work.
To minimize damage by shake, you should be better prepared to ensure the safety at work.
CHECK THE SAFETY OF AN OFFICE OR BUSINESS PLACE
As one of the proactive strategies against a major earthquake, you should be better prepared to give such employees
opportunities for in-house education, whenever there is a chance, so that you can keep the individuals well aware of
how to prevent the threats of a disaster or refresh their knowledge about the manual contents.
Formulate proactive strategies against a disaster inside
and outside the office.
Check for potential hazards inside and outside of the
building as carefully as your home. Reinforce the building
with an anti-earthquake or base-isolated device. Secure
advertising boards outside, or lockers or a copy machine
inside, to prevent from falling down or toppling over.
Educate employees at work if you are an employer.
Give your fellow staff members some education about
how or where to evacuate in the event of a major earth-
quake, and prepare a manual on who will do what or on
business operations prioritized.
Think about what to do if you have no information on
the safety of your employees or their family.
Plan a strategy on how to confirm the safety of the em-
ployees---especially while they are outside on business---
or their family members by using some safety confirma-
tion measures, such as the “Disaster Emergency Message
Dial 171” or other services.
Check
Do you have lockers and others secured with a locking
device?
Do you discuss at work how to prepare for disasters?
Do you know what to do at work in an emergency?
Do you have any equipment that help you conduct initial
fire-fighting activities or aid and take injuries to hospital?
Do you see if there are any office furniture or office
equipment that might easily topple over or move and block
the evacuation routes or entrance doors?
Do the employees know where emergency supplies kits
are stored?
Do the employees know where and how to evacuate?
Do the employees create a family plan on how to contact
one another when separated?
Do you have a guideline based on the business contin-
uity plan, or BCP?
Do you have a teamwork structure developed at work?
Do you have a teamwork structure developed with block
association members?

6
Nine local governments including the TMG have made an agreement with representatives of convenience stores, family
restaurants, and gas stations, for the supply of assistance to those who have to walk home.
Under the terms of the agreement, these places will function in the event as assistance sources and provide such walkers
with tap water, the use of bathrooms, map information on traffic, radio news on passable roads, and rest areas for the public.
In addition to these sources, all metropolitan schools and the Japan Martial Arts Hall (=the Nippon Budokan in Japa-
nese) in Tokyo will also get the same assistance available.
STRATEGIES FOR STRANDED PASSENGERS
The Ten Rules for Stranded Passengers
Don’t rush, don’t panic, and assess your circumstances.
Carry a cell phone or pocket-sized radio.
Make a map of your on-foot route home in advance.
Keep a pair of sneakers (as standby pair of shoes) in your
locker.
Keep a bar of chocolate or a box of caramels (as a ready-
to-eat food) in your desk drawer.
Check with your family (on how and where to contact)
ahead of time.
Use the “Disaster Emergency Message Dial 171” or “Disa-
ster Emergency Broadband Message Board” service to en-
sure the family’s safety, or ask an out-of-town relative to
serve as the family’s common contact.
Familiarize yourself with how to walk home.
Protect yourself (with portable body warmers, towels, etc.)
from cold or hot weather conditions.
Help, and complement each other.
These designation stickers on the front door/window indicate that such assistance will be available at the aforementioned
places. To find out more, visit the web of the TMG (at the Disaster Prevention Information).
Convenience stores
Fast-food restaurants
Family restaurants
Japanese-style bars
Karaoke bars
Gas stations
(affiliated with the Petroleum
Industry Corporation Association)
Don’t attempt to get back home at all costs.
Roads and sidewalks will easily get crowded with vehicles and pedes-
trians if they leave all at once and are heading home in a hurry, conse-
quently hindering the search and rescue operations. It is also feared
that if faced with aftershocks on their way back, they might have se-
condary damage. To avoid such confusion, we recommend that unless
necessary, you should remain at work or stay at a makeshift accommo-
dation for safety.
Gather information.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) or other relevant organizations will provide information on traffic congestion
or locations where they have set up makeshift accommodations for the public. Listen to those sources for information as they
become available, and stay put unless necessary.
If you need to go back home where you have little kids to take care of or those who need nursing care, you should go there
on foot instead of by car but check in advance the locations of the “Emergency Support Stations for Home-bound Walkers”
on the way back home.
At a train station or inside a department store, you should:
Stay put unless necessary, and follow the directions by officials in
charge of the event.
Make sure your work place has an emergency supplies kits ready.
Secure at least a three-day supply of foods, drinking water, and others
such as blankets, just in case your staff members are not able to walk
home or have decided to remain at work. At the same time, we recom-
mend that you should spare an extra ten percent of supplies and make
them available for other stranded people (including visiting customers
or contractors or out-of-office co-workers upon a big earthquake).
Right after the Great East Japan Earthquake struck (in 2011), almost all the transport network in Tokyo suffered
severe disruptions for many hours, and as a result, a large number of people were not able to go home. The Tokyo Me-
tropolitan Government (TMG) announced the results of their study in April, 2012, on the “Damage Anticipated if an
Epicentral Earthquake and Others Hit Tokyo.” According to this announcement, nearly 5.17 million people in Tokyo
will not be able to go home. For this reason, the TMG worked out a policy of asking such stranded people to refrain from
going home in a hurry unless necessary. Based on this policy, the “TMG Ordinance for Measures for Stranded Persons”
came into force in April, 2013 for instructing both Tokyo citizens and businesses in how to comprehensively assist those
people upon a big earthquake.
HOME-BOUND WALKERS
EMERGENCY SUPPORT STATIONS FOR

7
DISCUSS WITH THE FAMILY HOW TO
PREPARE FOR DISASTERS
Learn where the evacuation sites are located.
Learn how to get to a temporary gathering place (Ittoki Shu-
go Basho in Japanese), evacuation area (Hinan Basho), or she-
lter (Hinanjo) near your house or office. You will be better
prepared with your family to choose a reunion place outside
your home just in case you get separated.
Learn how to evacuate.
Talk regularly and specifically on how and where to evacu-
ate. You should be better prepared to walk and check the route
in advance.
Participate in a gathering by block association members.
Have an active involvement in an event or gathering by
block association members, and develop cooperative ties with
them.
Work together in the community.
Check if there are the physically disabled, the bedridden,
sick people, or people in need, in the neighborhood. If in
positive case, work out specific measures ahead of time on
how to give assistance to those people.
Check disaster preparedness measures in the community.
Local communities store or secure emergency materials such
as foods or medications. Check in advance where such mate-
rials will be available.
In addition, we recommend that you should take part in drill
activities for disaster preparedness by your community’s volun-
tary organization and have a teamwork structure developed
with its members.
Check
Do you discuss with the family how to prepare for disasters?
Does each one of your family know what to do during times of disasters?
Do you know where such block association members keep emergency materials?
Does the whole family know where and how to evacuate?
Does the whole family know how to communicate with one another?
Do you keep a cooperative network with your neighbors?
Check with the family on how to communicate with one an-
other.
After a major earthquake, a large volume of communica-
tion to quake-hit areas will flood in. As a result, you may have
trouble getting through. As a precautionary measure, create a
family plan ahead of time on how to contact one another, for
example, by using the “Disaster Emergency Message Dial 171”
or “Disaster Message Board” services.
If you are unmarried and live independently, you should be
better prepared to let your family members, relatives, or fri-
ends know your emergency communication plan.
DEVELOP AN EMERGENCY PLAN WITH BLOCK
ASSOCIATION MEMBERS OR NEIGHBORS

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PARTICIPATE IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS DRILLS
The “three helps”
“Self-help” Efforts by you to protect yourself from danger
“Community-help” Efforts by local people to protect the town from danger
“Public-help” Protective measures by administrative authorities
Protect your town from danger on your own efforts.
Participate in disaster preparedness symposiums.
Attend such symposiums that local governments and
others hold. Broaden your knowledge on or strategies aga-
inst the threats of a disaster, and then share what you’ve
learned with your family members at home or people at
work.
ACT IN CONCERT WITH PEOPLE OF LOCAL COMMUNITY
Help each other.
Participate in a disaster preparedness drill with your neighbors,
and keep in regular contact with them for a mutual cooperation.
Participate in a voluntary organization for disaster prepared-
ness.
They say that the spirits of mutual aid will save a town from
the threats of a disaster. Actively join disaster preparedness
organizations or voluntary activity groups in your block area,
and get your disaster response capabilities enhanced.
Check
Do you attend symposiums on such disaster preparedness, and discuss how to deal with the threats of a disaster?
Do you have any knowledge about disaster preparedness measures in the community?
Do you know telephone numbers of disaster management resources available (ex. a local municipal office, police,
or fire department)?
Do you participate in disaster management drills?
You could help save lives if you join hands. Remember
that the “self-help” and “community-help” hold the key to
surviving. Have an active involvement in disaster prepare-
dness drills that local governments or residents association
conduct, and learn how they will be dealing with the threats
of a disaster.
Create a support network with companies in your neighborhood.
Contact regularly local business or company employers, and
develop a cooperative emergency plan ahead on how to deal
with the threats of a disaster.

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Earthquake Warning
WHAT IS A JMA (JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY)
EARTHQUAKE WARNING?
WHAT TO DO WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE WARNING
HAS BEEN ISSUED
(By courtesy of NHK)
(By courtesy of NHK)
Remember that if the epicenter is too close, there may be cases in
which strong tremors come ahead.
At home, you should:
Protect your head, and take cover under a sturdy
table, and other piece of furniture.
Calm down. Don’t rush outside.
In a crowded building, you should:
Follow the instructions of facility personnel.
Remain calm, and then take action.
Stop rushing to the exits.
Tell yourself to remain calm, secure your personal safety, and act according to circumstances
Remember that as a sequence of an earthquake warning, we sometimes have the announcement of a tsunami warning.
In an elevator, you should:
Stop the elevator at the nearest floor, and get off
immediately.
In a moving vehicle, you should:
Remain calm. Don’t hit the brakes in a panic.
Turn on hazard lights, and slowly stop when there
are tremors.If outdoors, you should:
Be aware of weakened cement block walls, and other
hazards.
Be aware of falling signs or broken glass, and keep
away from buildings.
If near a mountain or cliffs, you should:
Watch out for falling rocks or landslides.
On a bus or train, you should:
Hold on tight to a strap or handrail.
It is an earthquake warning that the Japan Meteorological Agency
(JMA) will provide to the public. When the agency detects a quake
with a maximum seismic degree of lower 5 or higher (on the Japanese
scale), the agency will disseminate the names of possible disaster areas
via media, and warn people in those areas about the resultant strong
tremors (of the 4th degree or higher) just a few seconds before they
arrive.
Upon the observation of a giant earthquake with a magnitude 8 or
greater, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) will start warning
the public of an emergency situation that might be as bad as the Great
East Japan Earthquake. When you have heard a couple of adjectives
such as “Kyodai, or Giant” or “Takai, or Big” used in a JMA’s initial
tsunami warning, move to a higher ground in no time.
Tsunami Warning on the Air
Earthquake Warning on the Air

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IF INDOORS
One of the frightening things during an earthquake is the threat of fires. During the Great Kanto Earthquake (in
1923), most of the people died or injured in fires.
IN CONDOMINIUMS OR BUILDINGS
Protect yourself.
Move away from where glass could shatter around win-
dows or from where a wardrobe, bookcases or any other
heavy furniture could easily fall over, and take cover by
getting under a desk or table.
Don’t panic.
No matter how big an earthquake is, violent movements
last only a few minutes or so. There is no need to rush out
into the open. Instead, calm down first, and then take action.
To make sure that the fire is out, you should:
Wait until the shaking has stopped.
To prevent fires (or check before evacuating), you should:
Check
Turn off the main gas valve (to avoid possible explo-
sions or fires).
Turn off the electricity at the main circuit breaker (to
avoid possible electricity-caused fires).
To ensure a way out, you should:
Keep the door open. The earthquake movements will distort
the building frames, sometimes leaving people trapped inside.
Don’t use the elevators.
If an earthquake occurs while you are using an elevator,
press the buttons of every floor, and get off the next time
when it stops. If trapped inside, press an emergency-call
button and wait for help.
Follow the advice of custodians.
Don’t rush to get out. Assess the situation. Follow the
advice of custodians where available.
When a fire breaks out, you should:
Put out the fire right away with a fire extinguisher or blan-
ket, and others. If there is a fire in your neighborhood, join
in the efforts to extinguish it.
Watch Out for Electricity-caused Fires!
The meaning of “electricity-caused fires” is a fire caused by sparks
inside electric appliances that may have been damaged upon a blackout
by a big earthquake. Be alert for such a fire when the electricity power
has come back on in a couple of hours or the next day.

11
IF OUTDOORS
During the Off-Shore Miyagi Earthquake (in 1978), many people suffered from falling cement block walls,
stone walls, or gateposts.
In an earthquake-resistant or earthquake-proof building, stay put until the shaking stops rather than hurriedly
evacuating.
IF IN A MASS RETAIL SHOP OR CROWDED PUBLIC BUILDING
Keep away from objects that can easily fall over.
Avoid vending machines, cement block walls, electric
poles, or other hazards. They are likely to fall over.
Protect yourself from falling objects.
Cover your head with a bag and the like. Take refuge in
a solid building or evacuate to a park or open space.
Watch for loose power lines, gas leaks, or other hazards.
Stay away from downed electrical wires or from where
you smell gas.
If in a mass retail shop, you should:
Move away from showcases or merchandise shelves that
might fall over, and protect your head with a bag or shop-
ping basket.
If in a movie theater or other places, you should:
Cover your head with a bag and other things. Duck quickly
between the seats and other places.
Find an open space to protect yourself from falling objects.
Follow the advice of attendants.
Stay calm, and follow the advice of attendants or await the
instructions given through announcements inside.
Watch out for holes or cracks on roads.
Don’t get closer to areas subsided or liquefied. Make a
detour around those places.

12
IF IN AN UNDERGROUND MALL
IF IN A MOVING TRAIN
One of the most frightening things in an underground mall is not the danger caused by an earthquake but the panic
caused by an electrical power failure.
While inside the train, follow the advice or guidance of a train attendant for evacuation.
Don’t rush to stairs or emergency exits.
When so many people rush to one place in a hurry, they
are more likely to fall down on the stairs. Follow the
advice of attendants.
When a fire breaks out, you should:
Work with other people, and put out the fire.
If the place is being filled with smoke or gas, hold a
handkerchief or cloth over your mouth and nose, keep
down with one hand on a wall, and move along the wall.
Don’t panic even if the electricity goes out.
The backup emergency lights will come on in a few
minutes. Meanwhile, move to the nearest wall or main
pillar, and assess the situation.
Don’t panic even if it stops.
In the event of a major earthquake, the rail system will automa-
tically activate and stop a train. The electricity may go out, but
the backup emergency lights will come on in a few minutes. Don’t
panic, and follow the advice of a train attendant.
Standing passengers should hold on tight to a strap or handrail,
and seated passengers should keep their heads down and protect
them with a bag, and others.
Watch for objects on the overhead racks.
Stay inside the train.
Don’t attempt to exit the train. If there are train rails nearby,
you will be at risk of electrical shock or hit by another train.
Stay put inside until further notice by a train attendant.

13
IF IN A COASTAL AREA OR AT A RIVER MOUTH
IF NEAR A MOUNTAIN OR CLIFFS
You should brace yourself for possible tsunamis in the event of a major earthquake. As may have been seen in the Great
East Japan Earthquake, tsunamis traveled up to six km inland from the coast and caused severe structural damage. Ex-
perts say that most of the earthquake sufferers were killed or missing by these tsunamis.
An earthquake destroys not only a large number of buildings/houses, but also dramatically alters the hilly landscape, as
may be seen in the Iwate-Miyagi Inland Earthquake (in 2008).
Remember that tsunamis have the power to force rivers to flow
backwards.
As may have been seen in the event of the Great East Japan Earth-
quake, massive tsunami waves pushed the rivers backwards and
then caused a devastating damage to the areas by the riverside.
When you evacuate, you should not seek any safety in such areas.
Be prepared for potential tsunamis after an earthquake.
There is no telling when tsunamis strike. When there are strong
tremors near coasts or the sea, move inland to higher ground imme-
diately. Don’t wait for a tsunami warning to be issued.
Take no action until further notice.
A tsunami consists of a series of waves. Turn on you radio or
television for correct information, and keep away from the beaches
or low grounds until the all-clear is given.
When you feel the earth shake, you should:
Move as far away from a mountain or cliffs as possible if
you are near, and evacuate to a flat and safe area.
Even after an earthquake, you should be on the alert.
There is a possibility that aftershocks may touch off land-
slides.
In addition, when the soil becomes soggy during rainfall,
there will be a danger of landslides, too. Stay away from such
a mountain or cliffs until officials announce it is safe.

14
How to Evacuate
HOW TO EVACUATE
LISTEN FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION
or bosai-zukin, a disasterCover your head with a helmet (
protective hood in Japan).
Cover your head, protect your skin from danger in a long-
sleeved shirt or long trousers, and get lightly dressed to ea-
sily move.
Watch your valuables.
Keep your valuables always with you, and prevent them
from being stolen.
Evacuate on foot.
Don’t use a car for evacuation. Don’t use elevators. Use
stairs instead.
Evacuate in a group.
Move in a unit of block/residents association members
under the leadership of an evacuation leader.
Help others evacuate.
Call out to your neighbors for a helping hand, see what has
become of disable or sick people in the neighborhood, and
help them evacuate from danger.
Protect your pet from danger.
Steps to protect pets vary with municipal offices. If you
are going to bring your pet to an evacuation site, check with
your local office in advance.
Listen for accurate information.
While at an evacuation area, monitor emergency updates
that a local municipal office, police, or other public sources
will provide; or listen to the radio or television for news
coverage. Don’t get misled by groundless information.
Don’t make any irresponsible statements.
Don’t say anything irresponsible, nor act selfishly.

15
How to Evacuate
Steps to take for evacuation vary with municipal offices. For more information, call the Disaster Management
Division at a local municipal office in your city, town, or village.
EVACUATION SITES
Move to a shelter (ex., elementary or junior high schools,
civic centers, and the like).
There is no danger of fires or tsunamis.
Return home.
If safe (then, stay put for a while).
Are you safe at the temporary gathering place?
If damaged seriously for living, you should:
Is your house damaged?
An emergency advice (or instruction) is called off. There is no danger of fires.
There is no danger of tsunamis (a tsunami warning is called off).
A local municipal office, police, or fire department are advising (or instructing) the public to
evacuate.
Fires are spreading. A life-threatening situation is imminent.
There is a danger of a tsunami near a coastal area or rivers (a tsunami warning is issued).
Move to an evacuation area (ex., big parks, open spaces, and the like).
If not damaged, you should:
Move inland to higher ground.
(move to shelters when advised)
Temporary gathering place, or Ittoki Shugo Basho
a place for disaster victims to gather temporarily where they assess the situation before moving on to an evacuation area
(ex., elementary or junior high school playgrounds, parks nearby, shrine or temple premises, and the like).
Evacuation area, or Hinan Basho
a place for disaster victims to protect themselves from fires or other hazards (ex., big parks, open spaces, and the like)
Shelter, or Hinanjo
a place for disaster victims to live for a certain period of time, because their houses have collapsed or burned down, and
become uninhabitable (ex., schools, civic centers, and the like)
When you can’t evacuate to a
temporary gathering place, you
should:
Evacuate to a temporary gathering place.
(ex., elementary or junior high school playgrounds,
parks nearby, shrine or temple premises, and the like).
STEPS TO TAKE FOR EVACUATION
If not safe, you should:
Big Earthquake

16
On a regular road
Upon the tremors
If an earthquake occurs while you’re driving, you would feel as if you had a flat tire or as if your car were being
pushed up from under you. Thus, it will become difficult to drive because the steering wheel will start moving
abnormally.
IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE
Don’t panic. Just stop the vehicle.
Don’t hit the brakes so quickly. Just slow down, and pull
over to the left side to avoid any collision.
Grasp traffic information.
Turn on a car radio for information on an earthquake or
traffic, and act accordingly on such information or local
circumstances.
Don’t evacuate by car.　
Don’t use a car to make contact with your family
members or to evacuate to safe places.
If you feel tremors, be aware of not colliding with other
vehicles. Avoid stopping near intersections. Pull over to the
left side of the road.
If a parking lot or vacant yard is nearby, pull in there.
When you are on a road in the area surrounded by the
Kannana dori, keep driving and get out of the area imme-
diately.
When you are on a road designated as the Route for
Authorized Emergency Vehicles of the Emergency Access
Road (see pages 18 and 19), keep driving and switch to
other road.
Don’t use a car any more once you have arrived at your
destination.
Do as directed by police officers on the spot.

17
On a highway
When you can’t help stopping a vehicle on the road due to the clear and
present danger of a fire or to severely damaged roads, you should obey the
following rules.
Right after a massive earthquake, we’ll carry out traffic restrictions to save
lives or firefighting activities (see the next page).
Don’t panic, reduce the speed, and pull to the left side of
a highway once.
If you can’t stop on the left side, pull to the right side
instead so that the center of the road can be kept clear.
Follow the instructions, advice, or guidance of police
officers, highway administrators, or other public agencies.
Japan’s existing ETC gate system is designed to normally
function even in the event of a major earthquake. Don’t
panic, and switch to a regular road.
Avoid stopping near intersections, pull to the left side of
the road, and stop there.
Cut the engine, and leave the key in the ignition switch.
Leave the doors unlocked.
Roll up the car windows so that flames and other hazar-
dous things won’t enter.
Take your valuables with you.

18 19
Vehicle Traffic Control Process in the Event of a Major Earthquake
National Expressway, Metropolitan Expressway
These routes will be restricted only for the passage of authorized emergency vehicles,
such as police cars or fire engines.
. If an earthquake has caused an extremely large damage to Tokyo, then we’ll size up the
situation and carry out additional restrictions on regular roads alike.
Initial Traffic Restriction as stipulated in the Road Traffic Law
. Entry of ordinary vehicles to the area surrounded by the Kannana dori (or in the direction
of central Tokyo) will be banned.
You can use, however, the Kannana dori to make a detour around the area.
. Entry of ordinary vehicles to the area surrounded by the Kampachi dori (or in the direction
of central Tokyo) will be controlled.
. We’ll designate the following seven roads as the “Routes for Authorized Emergency Ve-
hicles” and ban the other traffic. Daiichi keihin Daini keihin Nakahara Kaido Meguro dori
Ome/Shin-ome kaido Kawagoe kaido Kitahon dori
Tohachi doro Koganei kaido Shiki kaido Fuchu kaido
Mito kaido
Kuramaebashi dori Keiyo doro Inokashira dori Mitaka dori
Yoshino kaido
Takiyama kaido Kitano kaido Kawasaki kaido Tama New Town dori
Imokubo kaido Itsukaichi kaido Chuo-nanboku Line Hachioji-musashi-murayama Line
Kamakura kaido Machida kaido Yamato Bypass
Mitsugi-hachioji Line Shin-Okutama kaido Ozakukita dori
Secondary Traffic Restriction as stipulated in the Basic Act on Disaster Control Measures
. We’ll prioritize the seven roads designated as the “Routes for Authorized Emergency Vehicles” to be
able to function as the “Emergency Access Roads.”
The roads will be only for the passage of vehicles authorized for emergency disaster control activities.
. Depending on a state of disaster, we’ll designate, if necessary, the following 31 roads as “Emergency
Access Roads.”
Route #4 Nikko kaido, etc. Route #17 Nakasendo, Hakusan dori, etc.
irodirobotoSirodorijeM
Route #20 Koshu kaido, etc. Route #246 Aoyama dori,Tamagawa dori
Traffic Restrictions (as stipulated in “the Road Traffic
Law”) upon a massive earthquake of an intensity higher
5 or greater
To avert any traffic congestion in central Tokyo, we’ll restrict the traffic,
if necessary, by the following ways.
1 Ban the traffic of ordinary vehicles from heading for the area
surrounded by the Kannana dori (or in the direction of central Tokyo)
2 Control the traffic of ordinary vehicles from heading for the area
surrounded by the Kampachi dori (or in the direction of central Tokyo)
Depending on the size of an affected area or its circumstances, police may need to augment the number of such Emergency Access Roads, or modify or lift controls over vehicle traffic. For this reason, you
should monitor traffic reports, or follow the advice on the spot.
Regular roads to be designated as the Routes for Authorized Emergency Vehicles
Expressways to be designated as the Routes for Authorized Emergency Vehicles
Key road routes to be designated, if necessary, as Emergency Access Roads
LEGEND
the Road Traffic
inii tnn ensitii y higher
we’ll restrict the traffic,
foff r thett area
n of centrtt al Tokyo)
ding foff r thett area
Kan-etsu
Expressway
Chuo Expressway
Metropolitan Intercity
Expressway
Tokyo-Gaikan
Expressway
Yamato Bypass
Kamakurakaido
Kitano kaido
Imokubokaido
Route #4
Route #17
Sotoboridori
Novehicleentry
Kannana dori
Mitsugi-hachiojiLine
Hachioji-musashi-murayama
Line

20
Siren (45 seconds) Interval (15 seconds) Siren (45 seconds) Interval (15 seconds) Siren (45 seconds)
WHAT IS AN EARTHQUAKE WARNING DECLARATION?
WHAT WILL HAPPEN ONCE AN EARTHQUAKE
WARNING HAS BEEN DECLARED
Why is the Tokai Earthquake expected in the near future?
Records show that big earthquakes recurred off the east coast of Tokai in cycles of 100 to 150 years. Since the 1854
Ansei Earthquake, its energy has not been released for the past 159 years. From this fact, scientists concluded that
an earthquake of this type is likely to strike again at any moment.
A POTENTIAL IMPACT ON TOKYO
It is feared that we may experience the Tokai Earthquake with the seismic focus located somewhere in Suruga Bay (Shizuoka Pre-
fecture).
An Earthquake Warning Declaration is an advance warning the Prime Minister of Japan will issue when it has been confirmed
that the Tokai Earthquake is likely to strike. On the radio or television, the Prime Minister will make an announcement to the effect
that:
“The Tokai Earthquake is expected to occur very soon. I now call upon each one of you to start taking protective measures at the
place where you are.”
The warning will be widely disseminated this way.
If the Tokai Earthquake strikes, the villages in Niijima, Kozushima, and Miyake are estimated to suffer major tsunami waves, and
for this reason, these villages are designated by law as the Areas for Intensified Countermeasures against Earthquake-induced Disaster.
In the event of the Tokai Earthquake, Tokyo is also expected to suffer the tremors of lower 5 to upper 5 degrees on the Japanese
seismic intensity scale.
A municipal office, police, or other public sources will
inform the public of an emergency situation by patrol cars
and PR cars, through public address systems, or on sign-
posts.
Patrol cars and other official vehicles will blare special
sirens using the following sound patterns and call the public
attention to the fact that an earthquake warning has been
declared.
AREAS FOR INTENSIFIED COUNTERMEASURES
AGAINST EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED DISASTER
Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture,
Nagano Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture,
Aichi Prefecture, and Mie Prefecture
Of the aforementioned eight prefectures, nearly 157 cities
and villages are designated as such areas.
(shown in yellow)
Tokyo

21
IF AT HOME
IF AT WORK
IF AT A RAILWAY STATION OR MASS RETAIL SHOP
Listen for accurate information.
Monitor information provided by a municipal office, police,
Check for any danger in the home.
Check furniture is secured to walls, and make sure windows
Change to appropriate clothing for evacuation.
Wear lightweight and sturdy clothing (ex., a long-
sleeved cotton shirt, long trousers, etc.).
Store water ready in case.
Keep a bathtub or bucket filled with water.
Don’t use fire producing items.
Use no fire producing items if possible, and keep a fire extin-
guisher where you can reach it. If you have a propane gas fitting,
turn off its main valve, and secure it firmly so that it won’t topple
over.
or other public sources; or listen to the radio or television for
news coverage.
are shatterproof.
Follow the office plan.
Act in accordance with the plan that your office developed
ahead of time.
Leave the office at right time, and avoid heavy congestion.
Listen to the radio or television for information on railway
or bus services, or on the congestion situation at railway sta-
tions, and wait for the right moment to leave the office.
Don’t use public transportation services unless absolutely
necessary.
If you live within a short distance from work, walk home
instead of driving.
Check for potential hazards at work.
Check for any ill-fitted advertisement boards or windows
that may be in danger of falling down.
Follow the advice of attendants.
Don’t panic, and behave calmly.
Listen carefully to announcements, and other information.
Don’t get misled by groundless information or irresponsible
remarks around you.
Volunteer to help others.
Protect the elderly, kids, and other people, from danger; spare
a thought for others; and give way to each other.

22
IF IN A MOVING VEHICLE
VEHICLE TRAFFIC WILL BE RESTRICTED
DON’T DRIVE IF POSSIBLE
Don’t drive if possible.
Don’t use a car for private purposes or for business ones.
The declaration won’t disrupt the services of railways, buses,
taxies, and others.
They will reduce the speed but provide the services as much
as possible.
Others
When you are trucking dangerous objects, take prescribed
safety measures immediately.
Drive at an appropriate and safe speed
Even if an emergency warning has been declared while you
are driving on roads such as the National Expressway or the
Metropolitan Expressway or the National Routes, don’t panic.
Slow down.
Keep calm and reassuring.
Listen to the radio, and other sources, for earthquake or
traffic information; do as directed by police officers on the
spot; and obey all traffic controls applied.
Drive only to your destination.
After arriving at your destination, don’t use a car any more.
Police will restrict traffic of vehicles (except authorized emergency
vehicles) on the following 14 roads.
Routes #1,#4, #6, #14, #15, #16, #17, #20, #122, #254, Nakahara
kaido, Meguro dori, Kuramaebashi dori, and Takashima dori.
Police will enforce restrictions on the following traffic.
Vehicles heading for central Tokyo via the Kannana dori.
Vehicles heading for Kanagawa or Yamanashi prefectures from
Tokyo.
Vehicles heading for Tokyo from Saitama or Chiba prefectures.
On National or Metropolitan Expressways.
We’ll size up the situation and decide whether we should restrict the
traffic heading for Tokyo. Along the borders with other prefectures,
we’ll carry out the same traffic restrictions as on regular roads.

23
Other Topics
Follow the voice guidance instructions, and enter necessary commands.
THE DISTRICT-BASED SEISMIC HAZARD MAP
HOW TO USE THE “DISASTER EMERGENCY MESSAGE DIAL 171” SERVICE
The “District-based Seismic Hazard Map” herein referred to is a map of comparative seismic estimations by classifying the
vulnerabilities of community blocks in Tokyo based on the three risk factors ---“Vulnerability to building collapse”,
“Vulnerability to fire”, and “Integrated vulnerability”---on a scale of one to five. The higher (shown in red) the figures are, the
more likely an earthquake will pose a threat.
Unlike on the scenario that an epicentral earthquake has struck, this assessment is based on the assumption that the same
scale of seismic tremors have equally shook the ground in the whole blocks.
(Excerpt from “the 6th Report on the District-based Hazard Classification Assessment Concerning Earthquakes” published by the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government in Feb., 2008)
Message recording time is 30 seconds or less per message.
The number of storable messages is not more than ten.
Messages storage period is 48 hours after recording.
(After the period has elapsed, the messages will be autom-
atically deleted.)
The service is accessible from ordinary fixed telephones,
public telephones, mobile phones, or PHSs.
Learn how to use this service.
You can try this service in practice on the first and 15th of
every month, first three days at New Years, as well as during
the periods of both the Disaster Prevention and Volunteers
Week (Jan. 15 to 21) and the Disaster Prevention Week (Aug.
30 to Sep.5).
to access this service.
Besides, there are other safety confirmation services such
as the Broadband Message Board for Disaster (Web171), the
Disaster Message Board Service (for cell phones), and social
networking services (such as Twitter, Facebook, and others).
Be sure every member of your family knows these services.
Now you can start recording, or playing back, messages.
The voice guidance will start promptly.
To play back messages.To record messages.
1
2
17
1
If a person at the other end of the line is inside disaster-
stricken areas, you need to dial the area code first and then
his/her fixed telephone number.
The voice guidance will
start promptly.

EARTHQUAKE PRECAUTIONS
A Guide for the Safety of You and Your Family
Published on August 23, 2013
Published by Disaster Division, Security Bureau,
Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
2-1-1, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda City, Tokyo
Tel.03-3581-4321

Family Communications Plan
Phone#
Name
Home Work
Remarks
Electrical company
Gas company
Other
information
Evacuation location at present
(in the event of a disaster)
Resources for Inquiries
Name Phone#
Municipal office
Fire station
Plumbing company
Telephone office
Police station Section
Location
Police non-emergency phone#
This pamphlet is also available on the TMPD website.

Tokyo guide major earthquakes safety

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