Disaster Preparedness for New Life: Nearly 90% Recognize Need for 'Emergency Food and Water,' Yet Gaps Exist in 'Everyday Safety Measures'

Sumaten, a startup solving legal inspection challenges through DX (headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi; CEO: Keiichi Tsuzuki), has conducted a 'Survey on Disaster Preparedness for New Life' targeting 70 men and women nationwide. The results reveal that while the importance of 'stockpiling' items like drinking water and emergency food is widely recognized, there is a discrepancy in awareness regarding safety measures in daily spaces, such as preventing furniture from tipping over or preventing glass from shattering, indicating a lack of consistency in disaster prevention priorities.

[Survey Overview] Survey Name: Survey on Disaster Preparedness for New Life Survey Entity: Sumaten Inc. Survey Period: March 27, 2026 Target: Men and women nationwide Method: Internet survey Valid Responses: 70 samples

[Survey Results Summary] 1. Approximately 87% recognize the need for 'drinking water,' and about 70% for 'emergency food.' The most common disaster prevention items cited for new life were 'drinking water (87.14%).' This was followed by 'emergency food/retort pouches (74.29%),' 'flashlights/multi-function lights (74.29%),' and 'cash (72.86%),' showing high awareness of stockpiles directly related to maintaining life during a disaster. Conversely, there was a difference in awareness regarding items for life reconstruction, such as 'cassette stoves (50.00%)' and 'water supply bags (55.71%).'

2. 'Lights and cash' top the list for evacuation, showing a focus on practicality. For portable disaster kits, 'flashlights/multi-function lights (74.29%)' and 'cash (72.86%)' were the top choices. Over half also identified items directly linked to continuing life during a disaster, such as 'portable toilets (58.57%)' and 'mobile batteries (55.71%).' However, items for emergency safety, such as 'whistles/security buzzers (37.14%)' and 'disaster helmets (44.29%),' were ranked relatively lower.

3. About 70% prioritize 'furniture anchoring' for home safety, but measures are uneven. For home safety, 'preventing furniture from tipping (71.43%)' and 'checking hazard maps (70.00%)' were the top responses. There is also a certain level of awareness for measures closely related to daily life, such as 'deciding on safety confirmation rules with family (61.43%)' and 'preparing indoor footwear (55.71%).' On the other hand, 'glass shatter-prevention film (47.14%)' remained below 50%, showing a difference in priority even within indoor measures.

[Proposal from Sumaten: From 'Preparing' to 'Preparing in a Balanced Way'] This survey revealed that while the importance of stockpiles is widely recognized, there is a lack of consistency in prioritizing home safety and emergency preparedness. Disaster risks differ across phases: 'immediately after occurrence,' 'during evacuation,' and 'life reconstruction.' Therefore, it is important to balance: 1. Indoor safety (furniture anchoring, shatter prevention), 2. Evacuation preparedness (portable items), and 3. Stockpiling for home evacuation. Sumaten believes the essence of disaster prevention is to realize a state where 'equipment is not only present but functions properly and is understood by users' through building legal inspections. We will continue to visualize the gap between disaster awareness and actual behavior to promote more effective safety measures.

[About Sumaten Inc.] Sumaten Inc. operates the building equipment management cloud 'Sumaten BASE' and the inspection support app 'Sumaten UP' to streamline building legal inspections. We aim to reduce the burden on building owners and management companies and realize a safe and comfortable social environment.