Earthquakes in Japan: How Tourists Should Prepare, Plus Typhoons, Illness and Lost Items

Many Thai travellers want to visit Japan but hesitate because of news about earthquakes and typhoons. The risk is real, yet the country has prepared for it for decades and most visitors finish their trip without anything serious happening. A little preparation makes a big difference to peace of mind. This guide focuses on earthquakes, then covers typhoons, illness and lost belongings, without going into legal detail or figures that change often.

The short answer: how worried should you be

Small earthquakes are common in Japan and locals barely react. Large ones are rare and cannot be predicted, so the thing you can control is knowing what to do when the shaking starts. Typhoons are forecast days ahead, which gives you time to adjust plans. As for crime, Japan is generally considered safe, though ordinary care with valuables in crowds and big cities still applies.

What to do when an earthquake hits

1. 1Protect your head and body firstIndoors, crouch down, get under something sturdy such as a table, and cover your head with a bag or your arms. Stay away from windows, tall furniture and anything that can fall.
2. 2Do not rush outsideWait until the shaking eases before moving, since most injuries come from falling objects or tripping. In a lift, press all floor buttons and get out when the door opens.
3. 3Follow official instructions and newsListen to building announcements and staff, and check official news. If you are near the coast and a tsunami warning is issued, move at once to high ground or a tall building; do not wait to see a wave.
4. 4Tell family and check your routeAfter the event, rail lines may stop temporarily for track inspection. Allow extra time, message family to say you are safe, and check service status with the operator.

Before travelling, install a visitor-oriented alert app such as the Safety tips app from the Japan National Tourism Organization, which gives earthquake, tsunami and severe-weather alerts in several languages, and switch on emergency alerts on your phone. On reaching your room, check the evacuation map on the door and note where the fire stairs are.

اطّلع على باقات eSIM لليابان

Alerts and news need data to work well. A travel eSIM is one way to be online from arrival without relying on public Wi-Fi, which may be unavailable during an incident.

Typhoons and heavy rain: travelling in typhoon season

Typhoons that affect Japan are most common from late summer into early autumn, especially around Okinawa, Kyushu and the Pacific side of the main islands. The disruption visitors usually meet is delayed or cancelled flights, shinkansen and rail suspensions, cancelled ferries and some attractions closing for safety. Forecasts normally give several days of warning, so choose flexible bookings, leave a spare day before your flight home, and avoid outdoor activities or long transfers on the day a storm arrives. If a hotel or ticket is non-refundable, check conditions with the provider and your insurer.

Emergency numbers, hospitals and insurance

Foreign visitors are usually not covered by Japan's national health insurance, so treatment can be expensive compared with Thailand. Travel insurance that covers treatment, emergency transport and trip cancellation is worth considering. Read the terms on pre-existing conditions, risky activities and natural disasters before buying, and keep the policy number and the assistance hotline saved on your phone.

Lost items and a lost passport in Japan

Japan has a reputation for lost items being returned, but you need to report them in the right place. If you lose something on a train or at a station, ask at the station office or the operator's lost property office. If it is on the street or in a shop, go to the nearest koban or return to the venue. Remember the approximate time, place and a description of the item. Hotels also tend to hold items left behind so you can contact them afterwards.

If your passport is lost, report it to the police or a koban to obtain a report, then contact the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo or the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Osaka about travel documents for returning to Thailand. A copy of your passport, a photo of the passport page and spare passport-size photos make the process quicker. Confirm the exact requirements with the embassy or consulate directly.

Common mistakes and a checklist

• Not checking the exits of your room and building, then losing time deciding during an incident.
• Booking the flight home on the last day of the trip with no spare day in typhoon season.
• Skipping travel insurance, or buying it without reading the exclusions.
• Keeping the real passport and its copy together in the same bag.
• Heading out all day with a low battery and no power bank.