Japan to Secure Missile Shelters for All Residents by 2030

Tokyo, March 31 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government at a cabinet meeting Tuesday adopted a policy to secure temporary shelters to be used in the event of missile attacks and other emergencies for all residents at the municipal level by 2030. Such shelters, set up under the civil protection law, are designed to reduce direct damage from blasts and other events. About 61,000 sites had been designated as temporary emergency shelters across the country as of April 2025. The central government has worked on raising population coverage for such shelters at the prefectural and ordinance-designated city levels. With the coverage rate seen reaching 100 pct at those levels as of April this year, the government decided to aim for the full coverage at the municipality level. Public facilities make up roughly 54,000 of the designated sites, while only about 4,000 are underground facilities. The government will cooperate with the private sector to promote the designation of underground private facilities and parking lots. The government plans to enhance the functions of shelters to enable residents to stay there for up to a few days. It will also allow the use of such facilities by people facing difficulties returning home during disasters. Given that central Tokyo and other major cities are crowded during the daytime, the government also aims to achieve 100 pct coverage for daytime populations, including commuters, at the municipality level. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]