- Notifies emergency actions according to pre-registered user information
- First digital version of MILT’s “My Timeline” provided for free in Japan
More on “Disaster Prevention Timeline”
Yahoo! JAPAN Disaster Alert (iOS and Android ver.), provided by Yahoo Japan Corporation (hereinafter “Yahoo! JAPAN”), launched a new feature today. In “Disaster Prevention Timeline,” a new feature available across Japan, users can confirm their disaster prevention actions by entering simple information in advance. Users will receive push notifications when they should begin taking actions in the event that alerts on natural calamities such as heavy rains are issued. This is a digital version of “My Timeline1,” a disaster action plan for each resident promoted by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (hereinafter “MLIT”). This will be the first time for a private company to provide this function free of charge. (Survey by Yahoo! JAPAN)
1 MLIT “My Timeline”
By following Yahoo! JAPAN Disaster Alert app's guide and entering information about the user's home, surrounding environment, household composition, etc., users can check the disaster prevention actions that are appropriate for them in the event of a disaster alert such as alert on heavy rain. Each person's disaster prevention plan is different, with the timing of action varying depending on where the person lives (e.g. type of building, number of floors, dangerousness of the location) and whether or not there are family members needing assistance in evacuation
In case of a disaster alert, push notifications will be sent to the user according to the timing set by the user, enabling the user to take disaster prevention actions systematically without delay.
This feature was developed under the supervision of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience and through discussions with Hiroshima and Kyoto prefectures.
The feature can also be accessed from Yahoo! JAPAN app (iOS and Android ver.), by tapping the “ツールを追加 (add tools)” button on the Top page and adding this “Disaster Prevention Timeline.”
In the area of disaster prevention, Yahoo! JAPAN and its parent company Z Holdings Corporation (hereinafter “ZHD”) will provide one-stop support from normal times to recovery and reconstruction. As a first step, Yahoo! JAPAN has begun offering this function to help people regard disasters more personally. The purpose of this function is to prevent users from missing their chance to escape from a disaster, by making use of the function from normal times and during times when disaster alerts are issued.
ZHD and Yahoo! JAPAN, together with the group company, LINE Corporation, will provide the "Disaster Prevention Timeline" on the communication application "LINE," expand the types of disasters to be covered, and continue developing services to support recovery and reconstruction, aiming for a future where as many lives as possible are saved in every disaster and in every situation.
■ Mr. Aono , Director, River Information Policy Planning Office, River Planning Division, Water and Disaster Management Bureau, MLIT
Floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall cause serious damage every year. There are also concerns that water-related disasters will become more frequent and severer due to global warming. In order to protect ourselves from such disasters, it is important to check the risks around our homes with hazard maps in advance, decide when to evacuate, and create a personalied evacuation action plan, "My Timeline."
In order to promote and expand the use of "My Timeline," MILT is proposing and calling for participation in "Digital My Timeline" initiative from this year. Using smartphone applications, etc., “Digital My Timeline” allows users to create their own timelines and receive push notifications of disaster prevention information customized for each individual.
Yahoo! JAPAN’s “Disaster Prevention Timeline” is the first app that responds to the call from MILT, and we hope that this kind of app will help many people to understand information on risk and evacuation as their personal matters and thus encourage them to take appropriate evacuation actions in times of disaster.
■ Yahoo! JAPAN Disaster Alert
Yahoo! JAPAN Disaster Alert, a disaster prevention notification app for smartphones that has been downloaded over 36 million times3, is a service that delivers useful information for users' safety, such as emergency earthquake alerts, heavy rainfall forecasts, and evacuation information. The app also includes a "Disaster Prevention Notebook" with disaster prevention-related information and a "Disaster Map" that allows users to share disaster situations with other users so that they can prepare for disasters from normal times.
3 As of August 30, 2021
Unless otherwise specified, English-language documents are prepared solely for the convenience of non-Japanese speakers. If there is any inconsistency between the English-language documents and the Japanese-language documents, the Japanese-language documents will prevail.