70 Pct in Japan Prefer Sheltering at Home after Disasters: Survey

Tokyo, Oct. 26 (Jiji Press)--Seven in 10 people in Japan would prefer to shelter at home after a major disaster if their homes were safe, according to a recent survey by market research firm Macromill Inc.

The survey also showed that only about 15 pct of respondents had a detailed understanding of the preparations needed to shelter at home, with regional differences in levels of understanding evident.

The survey, conducted annually since 2024, was carried out online from Sept. 4 to 15, with valid responses obtained from 200,000 people across Japan.

Asked how they would seek shelter if their homes were not at risk of collapse or flooding following a disaster, 72.5 pct said they would prefer to remain at home. This was far higher than the 11.9 pct who said they would go to a designated evacuation center even if their homes were safe.

Another 4.8 pct said they would stay with relatives or acquaintances or at a hotel, while 1.8 pct said they would shelter in their cars.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]