Japan Unifies Disaster Alert Levels for Four Types of Disasters in New Weather Information System
Japan's Meteorological Agency and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced a new disaster weather information system, effective May 28, 2026, which unifies alert levels for river flooding, heavy rain, landslide disasters, and high tides into a 5-tier scale. This change aims to simplify public understanding and improve coordination with local government evacuation advisories. The system introduces specific names for each level (e.g., Level 5: Special Warning) and corresponding evacuation actions. Additionally, new "imminent predictions" for linear precipitation zones will be provided 2-3 hours in advance.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 13:32
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The Japan Meteorological Agency and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will launch a new disaster weather information system on May 28, 2026, with formal legal implementation on May 29, 2026. This system unifies the alert levels for four specific disaster types: river flooding, heavy rain, landslide disasters, and high tides (storm surges), into a standardized 1-5 scale. This initiative addresses previous complexities where different disasters had varying alert systems, making it difficult for the public to correlate with local government evacuation instructions. The new system defines: Level 5 as "Special Warning" (特別警報), Level 4 as "Dangerous Warning" (危險警報), Level 3 as "Warning" (警報), Level 2 as "Advisory" (注意報), and Level 1 as "Early Attention Information" (早期注意情報) for phenomena predicted within five days. These levels directly correspond to local government evacuation advisories: Level 5 to "Emergency Safety Assurance," Level 4 to "Evacuation Order," and Level 3 to "Evacuation for Elderly and Others." For citizens, Level 5 signifies immediate life-threatening danger requiring immediate safety measures; Level 4 requires everyone in dangerous areas to evacuate; Level 3 advises early evacuation and preparation for those needing more time; and Level 2 prompts checking evacuation plans. Information regarding storms, high waves, and heavy snow will retain their existing "Special Warning, Warning, Advisory" classifications. Flood warnings and advisories will be consolidated under new terminology, omitting the word "flood." Furthermore, an "imminent prediction" mechanism will be introduced for linear precipitation zones, providing warnings 2-3 hours in advance, in addition to existing half-day predictions, to indicate escalating danger. These reforms stem from advancements in observation and prediction technologies and lessons learned from significant past disasters. Expert review meetings for this system began in 2022, and relevant legislation was revised in December 2025.