On August 8th, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Japan struck the western edge of the Nankai Trough in the southern main island of Kyushu. The Nankai Trough, which stretches 700 kilometers from Shizuoka to Miyazaki, is a tectonic hotspot because of the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate beneath the land plate. This subduction is unknown to build up strain that results in massive earthquakes every 100 to 150 years.
While the August 8th quake was strong, it did not cause any deaths or severe property damage. On August 9th, following the Nankai Trough quake, another 5.3 magnitude quake occurred off Kanagawa Prefecture. Additionally, on August 11th, a 6.8 magnitude tremor hit the Hokkaido region. This series of disturbances prompted Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a special advisory warning of a heightened risk of a megaquake in the Nankai Trough region. The authorities issued this advisory first under the new rules, which they drew up following the devastating 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster that killed approximately 18,500 people.
Megaquake Advisory Impact on Tourism
Japan has seen an influx of tourists since reopening its doors in 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic. Many come to enjoy the country’s skiing attractions during winter, immerse themselves in the cultural festivals in summer, or partake in the breathtaking flower viewing in spring. Additionally, tourists enjoy exploring the vast regions of Japan through scenic train journeys where they can stare out the window and take in the spectacular views, catch an occasional nap, play video games such as PES 2023 and COD: Modern Warfare, or even play online casino games as they travel from one destination in the country to another.
In June 2024, The Japan National Tourism Organization reported that the country had received 3.14 million foreign visitors. This figure was a new high breaking the previous set record of 3.08 million foreigners visiting the country in March this year. In the first half of the year, Japan has had an estimated 17.8 million overseas visitors breaking the all-time high record of 16.6 million visitors set back in 2019 of the same period.
They anticipated the upward trajectory in tourist visits to continue until the end of the year. However, following the earthquake in Japan advisory, the industry has seen massive trip cancellations in less than two weeks. Hotels and ryokans in central and Western Japan have been the worst hit. They received numerous booking withdrawals. This month is the peak of the summer holiday season.
Tourist’s safety while touring Japan, should an earthquake in Japan occur, remains the biggest challenge the country’s tourism industry faces. However, adding to the difficult situation is the government’s closure of some roads, and beaches as well as banning swimming in areas that a Nankai Trough megaquake could impact as a precautionary measure
Challenges Tourists May Face During A Megaquake
Foreigners fear visiting Japan following the megaquake advisory. Since the tourists could be left vulnerable during the next disaster due to these two major challenges:
1. Communication Barrier
In Japan, crucial resources such as hazard maps showing areas at risk of earthquake in Japan, tsunamis, and landslides. Since they are designed for locals, most of them are in the Japanese language. This poses a challenge to tourists who, in the absence of a local to translate, will be left stranded and unable to navigate their way to safety. Additionally, should emergency instructions be communicated in Japanese, it is often the case that tourists will be disadvantaged in understanding the necessary measures to take.
2. Navigating to Safety
While the government has designated 707 municipalities in 29 prefectures in Japan as high-risk and urged them to reinforce disaster preparedness, tourists may not have the privilege to do so. The knowledge and skills Japanese locals have for surviving an earthquake due to living in an earthquake-prone area is an advantage that tourists do not have. Therefore, tourists are at a higher risk of being unsuccessful in navigating to safety during a megaquake.
For tourists visiting Japan following the megaquake advisory experts advise taking key disaster preparedness measures such as:
- Familiarize yourself with disaster preparedness information from the embassy and local authorities
- Getting information on the evacuation routes to access in case of an earthquake
- Saving the essential contact information for the local rescue teams in the event of a disaster
- Assembling an emergency kit and keeping it with you on the go
- Downloading an earthquake app to receive notifications and early warnings
A megaquake in the Nankai Trough is expected to reach a magnitude of 9 on the Richter scale. This intensity of a megaquake could result in a tsunami 10 meters high that could hit the beaches of Kyushu Island in less than three minutes. Furthermore, the tsunami’s epicenter will determine the disaster’s effects. Cities like Osaka, Hiroshima, Kobe, and Fukuoka could experience these effects.
At the moment, Japan remains on high alert for a megaquake given the region’s seismic history. However, scientists predict this large quake to occur in the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years. You may read the History of Earthquakes in Japan to know more about earthquakes in Japan.