- ■ Introduction: The Repeated “Information Island”
- ■ Shocking Statistics: Only 3 Out of 19 Municipalities
- ■ The Same Problem Occurred During the Kumamoto Earthquake Ten Years Ago
- ■ Foreign Disaster Victims Easily Become “Disaster Vulnerable”
- ■ Successful Case of “Plain Japanese”
- ■ Data Demonstrating the Need for “Plain Japanese”
- ■ What Is “Plain Japanese”?
- ■ What Business Owners and HR Personnel Should Know
- ■ For Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan and Their Families
- ■ Perspective from an Immigration Specialist
- ■ Why Is the Spread of “Plain Japanese” Necessary?
- ■ Proposals for Spreading “Plain Japanese”
- ■ Conclusion: The “Language Barrier” Is a “Barrier of Life and Death”
■ Introduction: The Repeated “Information Island”
In July 2026, an earthquake struck Kumamoto.
What this disaster revealed was the same problem that occurred ten years ago: the serious issue of information not reaching foreign disaster victims.
Through our work with visa applications and residence status procedures, we have interacted with many foreign nationals residing in Japan, their families, and business owners and HR personnel who employ foreign workers.
The “language barrier” during disasters is not merely an inconvenience. It becomes a “barrier of life and death.”
This article provides a detailed explanation of the problems revealed by the Kumamoto earthquake and the necessity of “Plain Japanese” as a solution.
■ Shocking Statistics: Only 3 Out of 19 Municipalities
In the July 2026 Kumamoto earthquake, 19 municipalities in Kumamoto Prefecture recorded a seismic intensity of 5-upper or higher.
Among them, only three municipalities—Kumamoto City, Yatsushiro City, and Kikuyo Town—were providing information specifically for foreign nationals online.
In percentage terms, only 16%.
In the remaining 84%, or 16 municipalities, no special information dissemination for foreign nationals was conducted.
Approximately 31,000 foreign nationals live in Kumamoto Prefecture (as of January 1, 2024). Many are Vietnamese and Indonesian, and in recent years, with the entry of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest semiconductor foundry, the foreign population in Kikuyo Town has surged.
However, necessary information was not reaching them during the disaster.
This fact, revealed through interviews with each municipality, indicates a critical blind spot in Japan’s disaster preparedness.
■ The Same Problem Occurred During the Kumamoto Earthquake Ten Years Ago
In fact, this is not the first time this problem has occurred.
During the Kumamoto earthquakes (maximum seismic intensity 7) that occurred in April 2016, many foreign nationals were unable to receive support.
Problems at that time:
・Did not know the location of evacuation centers
・Could not understand information about relief supply distribution
・Did not know how to apply for disaster certificates
・Were unaware of consultation services
・Could not communicate and were isolated at evacuation centers
Following this painful experience, Kumamoto City took action.
Measures Taken by Kumamoto City:
- Launch of Disaster Email Service
Currently, about 680 people are registered, and during this earthquake, information about disaster certificate application procedures, support systems, and consultation services was disseminated in multiple languages. - Opening of Evacuation Centers for Foreign Nationals
An evacuation center for foreign nationals was opened at the Kumamoto City International Center, with which an agreement had been made. About 20 people took shelter there during this earthquake. - Multilingual Information Provision
Information was disseminated in English, Chinese, Korean, and Plain Japanese through websites, social media, and email.
These measures showed certain effectiveness in Kumamoto City.
However, in the 16 municipalities that did not take measures, the same problem from ten years ago was repeated.
■ Foreign Disaster Victims Easily Become “Disaster Vulnerable”
Why do foreign nationals easily become “disaster vulnerable” during disasters?
1. Language Barrier
・Cannot understand disaster information and evacuation instructions
・Technical and administrative terms are difficult
・Cannot catch fast Japanese during emergencies
2. Difficulty Accessing Information
・Municipal information dissemination is only in Japanese
・Cannot understand disaster prevention radio broadcasts
・Cannot understand TV and radio news
3. Lack of Awareness of Support Systems
・Do not know where to seek consultation
・Unaware of what support is available
・Do not know application procedures
4. Social Isolation
・Weak connections with local communities
・Difficult to rely on neighbors
・Lack of networks with compatriots to share information
5. Cultural Background Differences
・Unfamiliar with types of disasters in Japan and response methods
・Differences in lifestyle habits at evacuation centers
・May require religious considerations
These factors combine to leave foreign nationals on “information islands” during disasters.
■ Successful Case of “Plain Japanese”
Meanwhile, there was a notable success story at the same Kumamoto earthquake disaster site.
The Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan), a specified nonprofit organization, established a relief supply distribution point for foreign disaster victims in Hikawa Town, Kumamoto Prefecture.
A banner posted there read “Mono wo Kubaru Tokoro” (Place Distributing Things).
According to on-site staff:
“Many foreign residents, including Indonesians living in the area, stopped by the distribution point after seeing the banner. Some people even visited after seeing photos of the banner posted online.”
Why Was “Mono wo Kubaru Tokoro” Effective?
The official name “Busshi Haifu Kyoten” (Relief Supply Distribution Point):
・Contains many kanji characters (5 out of 5 characters are kanji)
・Is difficult administrative terminology
・Reading is unclear
・Meaning is hard to understand
In contrast, “Mono wo Kubaru Tokoro” (Place Distributing Things):
・Written in hiragana, so readable
・Uses basic words: “mono” (things), “kubaru” (distribute), “tokoro” (place)
・Meaning can be intuitively understood
・Even children can understand
This simple “Plain Japanese” connected many foreign disaster victims to support services.
■ Data Demonstrating the Need for “Plain Japanese”
How much is “Plain Japanese” actually desired?
A survey conducted by the Tokyo Tsunagari Sosei Foundation targeting foreign residents in Tokyo (beginner Japanese level, within 5 years of arrival in Japan) showed:
【In which language do you want to read disaster information?】
・”Plain Japanese”: 41.3%
・English: 35.9%
・Native language: 7.5%
“Plain Japanese” is more desired than English or native languages.
Furthermore:
・Recognition of “Plain Japanese”: 52.3%
・Intention to use (including “don’t know but want to use”): 74.8%
In other words, while many people still don’t know about it, potentially three out of four people desire “Plain Japanese”.
Why Is “Plain Japanese” Desired?
- Daily Exposure to Japanese
Living in Japan means encountering Japanese daily through shopping, work, commuting, etc. Many people can understand simple Japanese. - Impossible to Provide Information in All Languages
Even in Kumamoto Prefecture alone, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Chinese, Korean, English, Tagalog, Nepali, and other diverse languages are needed. Information provision in all languages is not realistic. - Extremely Limited Information in Native Languages
Especially for minor languages, disaster information is rarely provided in native languages. - English Proficiency Is Not Universal
Among people from Asian countries, many find Japanese easier to understand than English.
■ What Is “Plain Japanese”?
“Plain Japanese” refers to Japanese that has been simplified to convey information clearly and accessibly to everyone by avoiding difficult words and using short sentences.
Examples:
| Regular Japanese | Plain Japanese |
|---|---|
| 避難してください (Evacuate) | にげてください (Run away) |
| 余震に注意 (Beware of aftershocks) | また じしんが くるかもしれません。きをつけて (Another earthquake may come. Be careful) |
| 物資配付拠点 (Relief supply distribution point) | ものを くばる ところ (Place distributing things) |
| 罹災証明書 (Disaster certificate) | じしんで こわれた いえの しょうめいしょ (Certificate for house broken by earthquake) |
| 無料 (Free) | お金は いりません (No money needed) |
| 土足厳禁 (No shoes) | くつを ぬいで ください (Please take off shoes) |
Three Basic Principles of “Plain Japanese”:
- Use Simple Words
・Replace Sino-Japanese words with native Japanese words
・Avoid technical terms
・Reduce katakana words - Make Sentences Short
・One idea per sentence
・Reduce conjunctions
・Split sentences - Make Visually Clear
・Add furigana to kanji
・Use hiragana frequently
・Use illustrations and pictograms together
This “Plain Japanese” began research following the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and in 2020, the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Immigration Services Agency compiled guidelines.
■ What Business Owners and HR Personnel Should Know
For companies employing foreign nationals, establishing an information communication system during disasters is both a legal obligation and part of business risk management.
1. Duty of Care for Safety (Labor Contract Act Article 5)
“The employer shall provide necessary consideration so that workers can work while ensuring the safety of their lives and bodies in connection with the labor contract.”
This duty naturally applies to foreign employees as well.
During disasters:
・Evacuation instructions are not understood
・Safety confirmation cannot be conducted
・Employees cannot take appropriate actions
Such situations may constitute a breach of the duty of care for safety.
2. Risks Companies Face
・Risk of Human Damage: Danger to employees’ lives and bodies
・Legal Risk: Litigation due to breach of duty of care for safety
・Business Continuity Risk: Business suspension due to unknown whereabouts of employees
・Reputation Risk: Loss of social credibility due to insufficient consideration for foreign employees
・Talent Drain Risk: Resignation of foreign employees who feel anxious
3. Concrete Measures You Can Take Now
Step 1: Assess Current Situation
・How many foreign employees do you have?
・What are their nationalities?
・What are their Japanese language levels?
・Is the current disaster manual understood?
Step 2: Prepare Information in “Plain Japanese”
・Disaster evacuation manual
・Evacuation route and evacuation site signage
・Safety confirmation methods
・Emergency contact list
Step 3: Conduct Training
・Disaster drills with foreign employee participation
・Verify understanding of instructions in “Plain Japanese”
・Actually walk evacuation routes for confirmation
Step 4: Collaborate with Local Communities
・Check municipal disaster information for foreign nationals
・Collaborate with international exchange associations and NPOs
・Share information with neighboring companies
Step 5: Continuous Improvement
・Collect feedback after drills
・Improve to more understandable expressions
・Regular reviews
■ For Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan and Their Families
There is something we want foreign nationals residing in Japan and their families to know.
You have the right to receive necessary information during disasters.
What You Should Check Now:
- Disaster Information from Your Municipality
・Is there information dissemination for foreign nationals?
・Is it provided in multiple languages or “Plain Japanese”?
・Can you register for an email distribution service? - Workplace Disaster Preparedness
・Do you know the evacuation routes?
・Do you know the evacuation sites?
・Do you know how to communicate during disasters?
・Can you understand the disaster manual? - Consultation Services
・Foreign Residents Support Center of the Immigration Services Agency
・International exchange associations of each municipality
・Human rights consultation for foreign nationals by the Ministry of Justice
・NPO support organizations
If there is something you don’t understand, please ask without hesitation.
Requesting explanations in “Plain Japanese” is not selfish. It is your legitimate right.
■ Perspective from an Immigration Specialist
As someone who specializes in visa applications and residence status procedures, I have interacted with many foreign nationals.
From this experience, I can say that the “language barrier” is higher and more serious than imagined.
Even a single visa application document contains many legal and technical terms that can be difficult to understand even for native Japanese speakers.
For example:
・”Zairyu Shikaku” (Residence Status), “Zairyu Kikan” (Period of Stay), “Zairyu Card” (Residence Card)
・”Shikaku-gai Katsudo Kyoka” (Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted)
・”Eiju Kyoka” (Permanent Residence Permission), “Kika Kyoka” (Naturalization Permission)
・”Joriku Kyoka” (Landing Permission), “Sainyukoku Kyoka” (Re-entry Permission)
For foreign nationals learning Japanese, accurately understanding the subtle differences between these terms is extremely difficult.
Therefore, we make it our policy to:
・Explain using “Plain Japanese” as much as possible
・Carefully and clearly explain document contents
・Create an environment where questions can be asked as many times as needed
The same applies during disasters.
Terms such as “evacuation,” “aftershock,” “disaster certificate,” and “support system” are commonly used during disasters but are difficult for foreign nationals to understand.
By rephrasing these into “Plain Japanese,” lives can be saved.
■ Why Is the Spread of “Plain Japanese” Necessary?
Summarizing the lessons from the Kumamoto earthquake:
1. Lessons from ten years ago were not applied in many municipalities
Despite the same problem occurring in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, measures were not taken in 16 out of 19 municipalities.
2. Foreign disaster victims were left on “information islands”
Due to the language barrier, they could not access necessary information and became “disaster vulnerable.”
3. Municipalities that took measures saw effectiveness
Municipalities like Kumamoto City that established disaster email services and evacuation centers for foreign nationals saw certain effectiveness.
4. There is a concrete solution: “Plain Japanese”
The simple expression “Mono wo Kubaru Tokoro” (Place Distributing Things) connected many foreign disaster victims to support.
5. Foreign nationals themselves desire “Plain Japanese”
The Tokyo survey showed that 41.3% desired information in “Plain Japanese,” with 74.8% showing potential usage intention.
These facts indicate that the spread of “Plain Japanese” is urgent.
■ Proposals for Spreading “Plain Japanese”
Proposals to Municipalities:
- Establish information dissemination systems for foreign nationals during disasters in all municipalities
- Add “Plain Japanese” to disaster email distribution services
- Use “Plain Japanese” on disaster prevention radio, websites, and social media
- Conduct disaster drills with foreign participation
- Build cooperative systems with international exchange associations and NPOs
Proposals to Companies:
- Create disaster manuals in “Plain Japanese”
- Display evacuation routes and sites in “Plain Japanese”
- Conduct disaster drills for foreign employees
- Create mechanisms to share local disaster information with foreign employees
- Develop human resources who can use “Plain Japanese”
Proposals to the Government:
- Position the use of “Plain Japanese” in the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act
- Develop guidelines and manuals for municipalities
- Support “Plain Japanese” human resource development programs
- Include foreign disaster preparedness in municipal evaluation indicators
Proposals to Citizens:
- Learn “Plain Japanese” and use it daily
- Reach out to foreign neighbors and colleagues during disasters
- Create environments where foreign nationals can participate in local disaster prevention activities
■ Conclusion: The “Language Barrier” Is a “Barrier of Life and Death”
The Kumamoto earthquake in July 2024.
The fact that only 3 out of 19 municipalities were providing information for foreign nationals presents us with a serious problem.
The same problem occurred during the Kumamoto earthquakes ten years ago. There should have been lessons learned, yet measures were not taken in many municipalities.
As a result, foreign disaster victims were once again left on “information islands.”
Meanwhile, the simple “Plain Japanese” phrase “Mono wo Kubaru Tokoro” (Place Distributing Things) connected many foreign nationals to support.
What this shows is:
・The “language barrier” becomes a “barrier of life and death”
・However, there is a solution
・There is a concrete and effective means: “Plain Japanese”
・If we act now, we can save lives in the next disaster
A disaster may come tomorrow.
Before the next disaster comes, we need to promote the spread of “Plain Japanese.”
This is our collective responsibility to protect the lives of foreign nationals residing in Japan and to realize a cohesive society.
Our office contributes to building a society where foreign nationals can live with peace of mind in Japan through support for residence status applications.
For consultation regarding disaster preparedness, foreign employment, and residence status, please feel free to contact us.
Reference Articles:
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b3a80233d04900ff14fb3fc9dd7151a8183e2662
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/2577d756af82916369a7107a2ce46a011cc1c198
