Japan to survey emergency shelters in preparation for missile strikes

TOKYO – The Japanese government will launch more substantial surveys and research next fiscal year to assess the emergency shelter situation in municipalities and other countries with the aim of speeding construction of facilities designed to protect people from missile strikes, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learnt.Drawing on examples from countries such as Israel, the government will also consider introducing shelters in preparation for nuclear attacks and other threats.The Cabinet Secretariat has allocated about 220 million yen (S$1.75 million) for related expenses in its preliminary budget request for fiscal 2027.Of this sum, 120 million yen earmarked for surveys and research related to local governments and other entities was included under the new investment category of a “stronger and more prosperous Japan”, as part of the special accounts for crisis management investments championed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.As of April 2025, 61,142 facilities nationwide had been designated as emergency shelters. While the facilities can accommodate the entire population, they are not spread equally among local governments. Therefore, in its basic policy formulated in March, the government set a goal of securing shelters that can accommodate all residents at the municipal level by 2030.The government also plans to make more use of underground facilities such as subway stations and private shopping arcades and parking lots as temporary shelters.About 90 per cent of the emergency shelters are public facilities such as schools and government office buildings. Only 4,233 are underground facilities, which are better able to withstand damage. That means only 5 per cent of the population is covered by underground emergency shelters.There is a shortage of underground shelters in rural areas, and in urban areas, there is the problem of a larger daytime population, due to people arriving for work, school or sightseeing.Given that in Switzerland only underground facilities are defined as emergency shelters, the government will examine the performance standards and other criteria recommended for these shelters. It will also begin research and studies on evacuation facilities that can even withstand nuclear attacks. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK