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Disaster drills for foreigners

23 Comments

Foreigners take part in an earthquake drill for foreign residents conducted at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Tuesday. In the drill organized by the Tokyo metropolitan government, about 160 foreigners from more than 40 countries learned emergency aid, how to use fire extinguishers and survival techniques with instructions by volunteer interpreters, police officers and firefighters. Officials from foreign embassies, students at Japanese-language schools and other foreign residents participated. For more photos, visit: JapanToday.Gallery

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23 Comments
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And they singled out gaijin for this purpose why??? Why couldn't they have the gaijin practise this stuff WITH regular Japanese folks??? Us. Vs them....

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Perhaps the drills also included foreigner-specific items such as learning how to avoid being rounded up and interned as a national security measure in the event of a natural disaster?

Actually, I don't really see the problem with having events like this aimed at the international community. It may be an extra measure (on top of being able to take part in drills with Japanese) to ensure NJ don't miss out on this kind of public service, esepecially those that don't have the fluency to take part in Japanese. It seems to be an almighty stretch of paranoia to use this as an example of "them vs us."

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nice gimmic photo wonder how much this job paid?

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Hans Moleman!

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Guys, there is nothing wrong with this drill at all. Granted, I think they SHOULD throw in some foreigners who pretend they cannot speak English into the regular earthquake drills just to show the aid work volunteers that such a thing could happen in a real disaster. But, one reason for the drills to be segregated is so that they can focus on disaster instruction and steps to minimize casualties, etc. to one group (I'm sure they still even had that problem given that, of course, not all would speak the target language of the drills, whatever it was). I have no doubt that said instruction makes it clear what to do in a Japanese setting if said disaster occurs; who to talk to, what to say, what ID to have, etc. Later incorporating it into a regular drill would be ideal, but I see nothing wrong with teaching foreign people the steps in a different group.

Finally, I've heard plenty of people, myself included, gripe about how there are no such drills that include or are geared towards foreign people. I still want to see the former at some point, but I'm happy to see at least the latter being provided. I hope it is offered in various different languages.

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People had better stockpile food, water, medicine, etc and helmet, flashlight, AM/FM radio at home/workplace for at least one week. You will need these things if you are alive after earthquake occured. I think a big problem is TOILET with no water flush. You may need a lot of shopping plastic bags temporarily.

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Schools have these on a regular basis but I don't see how it is an Us (our school) vs Them (people who don't attend our school) thing. My question would be why they didn't have this exercise in warmer weather.

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Wish I went. I have no idea what to do in an Earthquake. My plan to date is: hold on and try not to die.

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160 foreigners who are now educated to help the thousands of Japanese that are not. Glad foreigners can be of good use this time around.

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Please your life try not to depend on evacuation camps holding stockpiles. You will wait for some water and food for many many hours. Public toilets become too terrible to do it.

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Listen to kwatt- man knows what he is talking about. all his points were covered in the foreigner only drill that the photo shows.

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Whoa! Who cut the cheese?

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My question would be why they didn't have this exercise in warmer weather.

Uncles Taro and Shintaro don't want us to get too comfortable here. Nyuk, nyuk. Seriously, I wish Nagoya had something like this. In Kasugai where I live the Red Cross sponsors practice drills in Japanese, Portuguese, English, and Korean, together at the same time, but only a handful of people show up. It's only a 20 minute trip on JR from Nagoya Station. I seriously feel sorry for people if Tokai has the big one. People will seriously freak out.

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they teach you how to smile while running to save your life...

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Leaving the tent after a few bong hits....

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Best response to this silly article is: Lots of plastic bags stored up for due to lack of flushing and lots of toilet paper too, but real stuff. Not that stuff your fingers go through. Also, you should have on hand, lots of canned goods and two can openers in case they are not pop tops. First aid kit, a Kerosene heater and several of those red containers of Kerosene. Batteries and lighters. extra pairs of hundred yen glasses. Board games and cards, and other things to amuse yourself with. Lots of batteries for your digital camera as there will be tons of great disaster shots to take. By the way, tighten up the bases of those tansu earthquake protecting things as they loosen up in the winter. LOts of slippers as the vacuum will not work to clean up the broken glass. Always keep ¥50,000 handy as you can go to a store, plop down a ten and ask for written credit. Oh, by the way, learn Japanese.

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This photo looks like anyone exiting a JR station escaping the clouds of cancer causing tobacco smoke.

The big one is coming up in Tokyo, get ready. Its way overdue now.

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The mother of all earthquakes is coming. Come to think of it. I haven't felt a tremor in awhile. In reality Tokyo will be an inferno. Cell phones wouldn't work . Black outs everywhere.

Stock up on bottled water, candles, can food, m & m 's , batteries, keep your documents in water tight plastic bags and make sure your suitcase is handy.

Fire extingusishers !! No where your fire exits are. Apartment and work area.

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or during the weekend?... when more people have time off work/school to attend, or at least over a week's period. but none the less, better than nothing right?.

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In your home, make sure not to keep place heavy objects anywhere they could hurt in the event the earth starts moving. After having been awoken by an earthquake, I don't keep framed pictures over my bed. And don't leave half drunk cups of coffee, or any other liquid, near your computer.

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Damn, I don't these two guys, so I won't have a clue what to do.

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Saran wrap and plastic bags, kiddies. Saran wrap to cover your plate/bowl when you eat, as you don't want to waste any water in washing. The bags... well... imagination.

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A few people have mentioned not knowing what to do or how to prepare.

Here's a really good site, recommended to me a couple of years ago by a friend who is also the disaster readiness guy for all naval forces in Japan:

http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/

Lots of good information there.

Taka

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