Coordination Council of Ministries Concerned for Precaution against Tidal Waves
Building on the experiences obtained through the Nihon-kai-chubu Earthquake, ministries concerned established the Coordination Council of Ministries Concerned for Precaution against Tidal Waves. The Council agreed on the"Precautions against Tidal Waves in Coastal Areas" on July 15, 1983.
On the basis of the agreement, the ministries have taken the necessary measures and promoted precautions against tidal waves. Since then, technological progress and the experience of the Hokkaido-Nansei-Oki Earthquake which caused enormous loss of life and property because of tidal waves, increased the necessity of further strengthening the precautions. Therefore, the Council discussed the revision of the agreement and decided on a new agreement as follows, by which the old agreement," Precautions against Tidal Waves in Coastal Areas" of July 15, 1983, became invalid.
As before, the ministries direct the organizations concerned to promote the dissemination of the revised agreement and to establish measures against tidal waves in the light of actual circumstances in each area.
The ministries will continue to investigate and study the whole warning system for tidal waves, including the restructuring of the system for transmission of tidal wave warnings and the development of communication equipment, and to take the necessary steps.
1 General Principles
(1) There is a danger that an earthquake occurring at sea nearby may generate a tidal wave that will strike even before a warning is given.
When a strong earthquake (over 4 degrees on the seismic scale) or a smaller earthquake which continues for a long time is felt,
a) People on the seashore and residents near the coast must move away from the shore, evacuate immediately to a safe place and listen for information on the radio or TV.
b) On their own judgment, mayors may urge or order people on the seashore, residents near the coast, etc., to evacuate immediately to a safe place.
