Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio decided to cancel his trips to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia due to a significant earthquake warning issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
During a press conference on August 9, Kishida stated, “I have chosen to remain in Japan for the next week to ensure our preparedness and communication are in order.”
On August 8, the JMA released its first “megaquake” advisory, covering 29 prefectures along Japan’s Pacific coast. This warning falls under a system implemented in 2019 as part of the government’s response to the 2011 triple disaster.
An article by Japan Today explained that the alert system was introduced to warn the public about potential earthquakes, despite the challenges of predicting them. The system includes two levels of alerts, with the lower advisory urging preparedness and the higher warning advising evacuation for those in high-risk areas.
The advisory did not call for evacuations but emphasized the need for preparation. It covered a wide area from Okinawa to Ibaraki prefecture following a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in the Nankai Trough near Miyazaki Prefecture.
Experts cautioned about the likelihood of strong shaking and tsunamis if a major earthquake were to occur in the future. While the exact timing and location of such an event cannot be predicted, people were urged to be ready.
The Nankai Trough has a history of significant earthquakes, with the most recent in 1707 triggering Mount Fuji’s eruption. Japan’s susceptibility to earthquakes, as a nation positioned on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and at the convergence of tectonic plates, underscores the importance of preparedness.