Japan Making Pitch for "Tsunami Flag"

Tokyo, Oct. 4 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Meteorological Agency is stepping up its public relations activities to raise awareness of the "tsunami flag," which warns beachgoers to evacuate when a tsunami wave is forecast to arrive. 

The tsunami flag is largely unknown to the public, although it facilitated the evacuation of beach swimmers following a major earthquake off the southwestern prefecture of Miyazaki in August.

The flag, introduced in June 2020, features a red and white checkered pattern, resembling the international maritime signal flag meaning "You are running into danger."

Although there are no specific size requirements, a minimum length and width of 100 centimeters is recommended for tsunami flags.

By the end of June this year, about 70 pct of municipalities with swimming beaches had introduced the flags. The meteorological agency aims to raise the figure to over 80 pct by the end of March 2026.

In the quake that struck on Aug. 8 this year, Miyazaki's namesake capital registered a seismic intensity of upper 5, the fourth highest on the Japanese scale. In response to a tsunami warning following the quake, lifeguards waved tsunami flags and instructed swimmers to evacuate by loudspeaker, allowing all beachgoers to safely move to higher ground.

As communication by sound can be blocked on the beach due to wind and the sound of waves, visual cues such as tsunami flags play a crucial role.

"Swimmers may include individuals with hearing impairments," an agency official said. "It's crucial for everyone to understand what to do when seeing tsunami flags."

The agency initially planned to launch its campaign to raise public awareness of the tsunami flag to coincide with beach openings in 2020.

The plan, however, fell through due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the closures of beaches. Despite publicity efforts such as leaflet distribution and social media promotion, a survey in January 2021 showed that around 80 pct of respondents did not know the tsunami flag.

To address this, tsunami evacuation drills utilizing the flags were conducted on swimming beaches in collaboration with the Japan Lifesaving Association.

Additionally, public relations activities are underway using electronic signboards in expressway service areas.

"Efforts to raise awareness are very important," the agency official said. "I hope many people will be familiar with the tsunami flag."

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