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Felt an Earthquake in Japan? Check These Official Channels in Order

Updated 9/13/2026
Felt an Earthquake in Japan? Check These Official Channels in Order

When the ground shakes mid-trip, working through Japan's meteorological agency, consular channels, and transit notices in order is the fastest way to respond.

When the ground shakes mid-trip, the instinct is to scroll social media for eyewitness clips. What you actually need is the epicenter, the measured intensity, tsunami risk, and whether your train or flight is still running — and only official sources give you that. This list follows four stages — confirming safety, deciding whether to evacuate, reaching family or a consulate, and replanning transport — and picks one non-overlapping channel for each, from the Japan Meteorological Agency down to individual airline status pages.

How We Picked

  • Primary official bodies that report epicenter, intensity, and tsunami risk, not speculation
  • Whether Korean-language support exists and whether the contact is actually reachable in an emergency
  • Channels that let you check your specific transit line or flight number, not just a general area

Rather than refreshing everything at once, open just the one page you need right now. If you're on the coast, start with tsunami information; if you're heading to a station or airport, start with transit status — the ranking here follows that real order of checking. If it's a genuine emergency requiring rescue, calling Japan's local emergency numbers (110 for police, 119 for ambulance or fire) comes before any channel on this list.

01

Japan Meteorological Agency – Earthquake Information

The first official page to open right after an earthquake, showing the epicenter, the measured intensity, and the time of the announcement. What you actually felt and the measured intensity can differ, so it's worth building the habit of checking the actual number rather than trusting your own sense of it. Aftershock guidance often follows the initial report, so it's worth keeping the page open for a while after the first shake.
Japan Meteorological Agency – Earthquake Information
02

Japan Meteorological Agency – Tsunami Information

If you're near the coast, this is the page to check before earthquake information, since it tells you whether a warning or advisory has been issued. If a warning is active, don't decide on your own to head back to the shoreline before an all-clear is announced — stay on higher ground. If you're at a coastal hotel or restaurant, following staff evacuation instructions can be faster than refreshing a webpage.
Japan Meteorological Agency – Tsunami Information
03

Safety tips (for travelers in Japan)

An app that delivers disaster alerts in Korean, and the key is setting your alert region and language before your trip even starts. Notifications can arrive late or not come through at all, so treat it as a supplement to on-site broadcasts rather than your only source. It also covers typhoon and heavy rain warnings alongside earthquakes, so it's worth keeping on throughout your whole trip.
Safety tips (for travelers in Japan)
04

Japan Safe Travel Information

A page aimed at foreign visitors that gathers disaster and transit information in one place, covering rail, airports, and evacuation guidance together. Individual operators sometimes post updates faster, though, so cross-checking is worth doing. Because it's in English, it's a quick way for travelers who aren't confident in Japanese to get a fast overview of the situation.
Japan Safe Travel Information
05

NHK WORLD-JAPAN

Provides disaster news and context in English, making it easy to quickly grasp place names and transport impact. Official warning status should still be based on Japan Meteorological Agency announcements, though. Given its broadcast format, it often combines footage with expert commentary, which helps in understanding the bigger picture.
NHK WORLD-JAPAN
06

Overseas Safety Travel (Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan)

A channel for safety notices and travel advisories aimed at Korean travelers — worth sharing with your travel companions as soon as you check it. Actual evacuation orders and controls on the ground, though, are still governed by Japanese authorities. Registering before your trip also lets you receive text alerts if something happens.
Overseas Safety Travel (Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan)
07

Consular Call Center (while traveling in Japan)

A channel for phone or chat consultation when you need consular help — a lost passport, an accident, losing touch with a companion. A genuine rescue emergency should go to Japan's local emergency numbers first (110 police, 119 ambulance/fire), with the consular call center contacted afterward. It also explains how to call without international charges, so it's worth saving the number before you travel.
Consular Call Center (while traveling in Japan)
08

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Fukuoka

Covers consular notices and contact information for the Kyushu region, Kumamoto included. Office hours and emergency contacts are listed separately, so it's worth sorting out ahead of time which to use for which situation. During a disaster, the consulate's notices sometimes carry separate guidance specifically for Korean travelers in the Kyushu area.
Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Fukuoka
09

JR Kyushu Service Status

The official page for real-time delay and suspension status across Kyushu's rail lines. It's worth rechecking right before you move, since on-site station boards sometimes update faster than the website. If your route involves transferring between lines, check each transfer station individually to avoid missing anything.
JR Kyushu Service Status
10

Kumamoto Airport Flight Information

Lets you look up actual departure and arrival status for Kumamoto flights by flight number. Airport-wide conditions and an individual flight's status can differ, so it's safer to make your final check alongside your airline's own announcement. Checking before you head to the airport can save you a wasted trip.
Kumamoto Airport Flight Information
11

ANA Domestic Flight Status

The official page for checking cancellations or delays on ANA bookings by airport and flight number. Airport-level information alone won't tell you your specific flight's status, so look it up directly with your booking number. If a cancellation is confirmed, the app or website often provides rebooking guidance as well.
ANA Domestic Flight Status
12

JAL Domestic Flight Status

The channel for checking the latest operating status and change notices on JAL bookings. If you're on a codeshare, also check the notice from the airline actually operating the flight for accuracy. Schedules can shift between booking and the day of, so it's safer to recheck on the morning of departure.
JAL Domestic Flight Status

Check in This Order

Right after you feel shaking, confirm the facts with No. 1 earthquake information and No. 2 tsunami information, and turn on No. 3 Safety tips if you want alerts in Korean. To reach family or get consular help, work through No. 6-8 — the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the consular call center, and the Fukuoka consulate — in that order, though an actual rescue emergency always comes before any of those, via the local emergency numbers. For whether transport is running again, checking No. 9-12 — JR Kyushu, Kumamoto Airport, ANA, and JAL — by your specific line or flight number is the only way to get an accurate answer. Everything here reflects research done in September 2026; always follow each authority's latest announcement for actual evacuation orders and service resumption.

Frequently asked questions

What's the first channel to check right after an earthquake?

If you're on the coast, check Japan Meteorological Agency tsunami information first; inland, check earthquake information for intensity and location. Listening to local broadcasts or facility announcements alongside that will sharpen your read of the situation.

Is there a way to get disaster alerts in Korean?

Install the Safety tips app before your trip and set your alert region and language to Korean, and you'll get push notifications when something happens. Don't rely on the app alone, though — check on-site announcements too, since notifications can arrive late or not at all.

Where do I check if my train or flight gets cancelled?

For a train line, check JR Kyushu service status; for a flight, look up your specific flight number on your airline's own domestic status page (ANA, JAL, etc). Airport-wide status can differ from your individual flight's status, so recheck right before departure.

If it's a real emergency needing rescue, who do I contact first?

Not the consular call center — call Japan's local emergency numbers first. Police is 110, and ambulance or fire is 119. Once the emergency call is made, contact the consular call center afterward for things like a lost passport or further help.

Whose announcement should I follow for evacuation orders?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Overseas Safety Travel notices are guidance for Korean travelers, but actual evacuation orders and controls come from Japanese local authorities. Checking the Japan Meteorological Agency alongside local government and facility announcements is the safer approach.

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