Key Facts
• July 2025: Earthquake near Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami warnings in Japan.
• 12 people nationwide suffered heatstroke during tsunami evacuations in extreme heat.
• Government plans to add heatstroke measures to evacuation guidelines by year-end.
• Proposed measures include tents for shade and carrying water and cooling items.
• ‘On-foot evacuation’ remains the principle to avoid traffic congestion.
• Survey: 90% of on-foot evacuees ended evacuation early due to heat.
• Experts suggest planning for car evacuations, citing comfort and feasibility.
• Aging population increases difficulty of on-foot evacuation.
• Government urges municipalities to secure evacuation routes and expand parking.
• Expert recommends tailored evacuation drills and traffic simulations for car evacuations.
Summary
The Japanese government plans to incorporate heatstroke prevention measures into tsunami evacuation guidelines, following incidents of heat-related illnesses during evacuations in extreme temperatures. Proposed measures include providing shade at evacuation sites and encouraging evacuees to carry water and cooling items. Despite these updates, the principle of ‘on-foot evacuation’ remains to prevent traffic congestion, raising concerns among experts. Surveys reveal that on-foot evacuees often end their evacuation early due to heat, while car evacuations offer more comfort. Experts advocate for flexible evacuation plans, especially for the aging population, and suggest municipalities prepare for car evacuations by securing routes and expanding parking. The government aims to finalize the new guidelines by the end of the year.
