TOKYO — Tourists may be particularly susceptible throughout a pure disaster, unable to talk the native language and uncertain of what to do or the place to go in an emergency. With that in thoughts, the Japan Tourism Agency has an iOS and Android app known as “Safety tips” to assist overseas guests navigate emergency conditions such because the June 18 quake in western Japan’s Osaka Prefecture.
Downloadable from the Apple App Store and Google Play, “Safety tips” makes use of location companies and push notifications to relay earthquake, tsunami, volcano and climate warnings to effected customers. Available in Japanese, English, Korean, and each simplified and conventional Chinese, the app additionally gives evacuation data and multilingual communication playing cards to permit customers to ask locals for important data, akin to “Is it safe here?” and “Where is the emergency shelter?”
However, the app can be designed to assist overseas vacationers overcome extra commonplace issues whereas in Japan, with an inventory of emergency service numbers, a information to native medical establishments in case of sickness or harm, heatstroke warnings, and even a practice route finder operate.
As the Safety tip app web site notes, “Japan is a country which is prone to natural disasters,” and vacationers want “accurate information in the event of a natural disaster.” That want has been rising as extra guests are arriving on Japan’s shores than ever earlier than. In 2014, the 12 months the app was launched, the nation welcomed simply over 13.4 million overseas guests. That rose to about 28.7 million in 2017, and arrivals had been rising at their quickest tempo ever within the first 4 months of this 12 months, based on Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) statistics.
People planning a visit to Japan, or overseas nationals already right here, can obtain the app utilizing the QR code on the tourism company’s Safety tips website. Please be aware that location companies and push notifications have to be enabled for the app to get correct details about the consumer’s space.
(By Robert Sakai-Irvine, Staff Writer)