Noto Peninsula Earthquake: Disaster Information
On January 1, 2024, at around 16:10, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred with the epicenter in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. As of January 4, the rescue activities continue.
The situation in the affected area changes over time, so please seek reliable information from sources such as NHK, the government, and local authorities.
In this article, we introduce trustworthy information sources available in multiple languages for visitors to Japan and foreign residents.
The Situation in the Region as of January 4, 2024
The location of the affected Noto Peninsula. Created by MATCHA based on Google Maps
Ishikawa Prefecture suffered the most damage but the surrounding areas such as Niigata, Fukui, and Toyama Prefectures have also been affected. A major earthquake is often followed by aftershocks so please exercise caution if you are currently traveling to these prefectures.
*The information above is based on this NHK report, which is regularly updated. Please be aware that there may be changes to the information in the future.
Ishikawa Prefecture
A total of 82 fatalities have been confirmed in the prefecture, and there are 339 people with various injuries throughout the entire region. In addition, at least 250 residential buildings have been damaged in cities such as Nanao and Anamizu.
Niigata Prefecture
In Niigata Prefecture, 26 people have been injured and 420 residential buildings have been damaged. Additionally, liquefaction has occurred in the Nishi ward area of Niigata City.
Toyama Prefecture
One fatality has been confirmed in Toyama Prefecture, and there are 37 injuries, with three of them being severe. Additionally, 48 residential buildings have been damaged.
Fukui Prefecture
It has been reported that at least six people have been injured.
Gifu Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture have also been affected by the earthquake.
Multilingual Information Websites and Apps Regarding Disaster-Affected Areas
NHK World Japan
NHK World Japan is a multilingual news service provided by Japan's public broadcaster NHK. They report the latest information on disaster-affected areas in approximately 20 languages. You can also download the app for this service.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/
Safety Tips
Safety Tips is an app provided by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) that delivers information on earthquakes and tsunamis.
In addition to Japanese, the app provides disaster information in English, Korean, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog, Nepali, Khmer, Burmese, and Mongolian.
The app can be downloaded from the official website.
https://www.jnto.go.jp/safety-tips/eng/index.html
Guidelines for Disasters
The official website Safety Tips introduces how to respond in the event of disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan.
https://www.jnto.go.jp/safety-tips/eng/emergency/index.html
Useful Japanese Phrases
Safety Tips also provides a bilingual table of phrases in Japanese, English, Korean, traditional Chinese, and simplified Chinese that is useful in times of disaster.
https://www.jnto.go.jp/safety-tips/eng/cmcard/index.html
Information on Traffic Conditions
Information about the shinkansen (bullet trains), roads, airplanes, and other modes of transportation is being updated regularly on the official website of Ishikawa Prefecture and NHK.
Some of the information is available only in Japanese, but please make use of tools such as Google Translate when checking for updates.
Official Websites of Local Governments and Authorities
Below you can find the official website of Ishikawa Prefecture, which has been particularly affected, and the cities and towns in the vicinity of the Noto Peninsula. Please refer to the official websites of each city and town for information on the opening of evacuation centers and the provision of supplies.
Ishikawa Prefecture
https://www.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/saigai/202401jishin.html (Available in multiple languages through Google Translate)
Additionally, Ishikawa Prefecture has established consultation services available in English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, and Burmese. If you need assistance, please contact them.
Kanazawa City
https://www4.city.kanazawa.lg.jp/
Nanao City
Komatsu City
https://www.city.komatsu.lg.jp/
Wajima City
https://www.city.wajima.ishikawa.jp/
Suzu City
You can also access information about other cities and towns from the official website of Ishikawa Prefecture.
Emergency Phone Numbers for Embassies of Various Countries
If you encounter difficulties and need to consult with your country's representatives, contact your embassy. Below are the contact details for major embassies in Tokyo.
*For international calls, remove the leading 0 and dial +81 instead. (Example) (+81)3-3224-5003
The United States of America:
Telephone Number: 03-3224-5000
Republic of Korea:
Telephone Number: 03-3455-2601/3
People's Republic of China:
Telephone Number: 03-3440-2011
Taiwan (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan):
Telephone Number: 03-3280-7811 (From overseas: (81-3) 3280-7811)
Thailand:
Telephone Number: 03-5789-2433
Indonesia:
Telephone Number: 03-3441-4201
Socialist Republic of Vietnam:
Telephone Number: 03-3466-3311/3313/3314
Philippines:
Telephone Number: 03-5562-1600
United Kingdom:
Telephone Number: 03-5211-1100
Australia:
Telephone Number: 03-5232-4111
Germany:
Telephone Number: 03-5791-7700
France:
Telephone Number: 03-5798-6000
Singapore:
Telephone Number: 03-3586-9111/2
Spain:
Telephone Number: 03-3583-8531/2
Please check the official website of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for contact information of other embassies and more detailed information about the embassies listed above.
Main image: Shiroyone Senmaida Terraced Rice Fields in the Noto Peninsula. Courtesy of Pixta
