Bon Holidays Start Amid Nankai Trough Megaquake Advisory

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The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:20 JST, August 10, 2024

People began heading to their hometowns and holiday destinations on Saturday to spend Bon holidays there amid a Nankai Trough megathrust earthquake advisory.

No major disruptions to public transportation systems were seen despite the advisory, called a “Megathrust Earthquake attention,” which was issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency following a powerful earthquake that hit Miyazaki Prefecture on Thursday. However, some travelers expressed their intention to be more careful about safety.

At JR Tokyo Station, platforms for the Tokaido Shinkansen line were crowded with families and young people carrying suitcases.

“My hometown is near the sea. I don’t know the evacuation sites and routes, so I want to look those up,” said a 21-year-old university senior who lives in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, as he was traveling to his family home in Osaka.

The Takeshiba Passenger Ship Terminal in Minato Ward, Tokyo, where boats to and from the islands of Tokyo arrive and depart, was also crowded with holidaymakers from early Saturday morning. If a Nankai Trough earthquake occurs, these islands are likely to suffer significant damage from an ensuing tsunami. At present, however, the passenger ships are largely scheduled to operate as usual, and they have been almost fully booked, according to the ship operator Tokai Kisen Co.

A 28-year-old company employee from Ota Ward, Tokyo, said he plans to spend time with his family on Niijima Island. “I and my family agreed that if there is a possibility of a tsunami when we are at sea or on a beach, we should immediately take the evacuation stairs and run to higher ground,” he said. “During our stay [on the island], we want to enjoy swimming and other activities while also being on alert.”

Holidaymakers also flocked to Katase Nishihama Kugenuma Beach in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, from early in the morning. Lifesavers urged swimmers to get out of the water quickly in the event of an earthquake.

On the other hand, the Shonan Bellmare Hiratsuka Beach Park in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, has imposed a ban on swimming until Thursday after taking into consideration the possibility of evacuation delays in case of a powerful earthquake.

Beaches in Atami and Ito, both cities in Shizuoka Prefecture, were open but flew yellow flags to remind swimmers to be cautious. Ito saw a lower than usual number of visitors to its beaches in July due to the extremely hot weather. The city had high hopes for a recovery in visitor numbers in August, but these were dashed by the earthquake advisory.

“We have no choice but to cooperate with the city government and fully implement measures such as evacuation guidance,” said Mitsuyasu Murata, an executive of the Ito Tourist Association.