Japan Plans to Construct Underground Shelters for 10 Million Citizens
Government initiative aims to enhance public safety against rocket strikes and bomb threats amid rising geopolitical tensions.
The Japanese government is undertaking a significant initiative to enhance its civil defense capabilities by planning to double the capacity of underground bomb shelters across the country to accommodate 10 million individuals.
This development is in response to increasing concerns over potential missile attacks.
Currently, Japan has over 58,000 bomb shelters, including both underground and aboveground facilities, designed to provide temporary refuge for citizens for durations ranging from one to two hours.
The existing infrastructure reportedly offers enough capacity to cover 140% of the nation's population.
However, only approximately 3,900 of these shelters, which represent about 7%, are underground, providing superior protection against explosive blasts.
The underground shelters currently support only around 5% of Japan's total population.
The government plans to finalize a set of guidelines during the current fiscal year that will encourage local authorities to identify additional shelter locations.
A recent report from the Cabinet Secretariat suggests that there are 1,489 additional sites that could serve as underground shelters.
These new sites would augment the current 4.91 million square meters of usable space by adding an estimated 4 million square meters.
The government estimates that each individual requires 0.825 square meters of space for short-term accommodation, meaning the anticipated total refuge area could cater to over 10 million people, effectively doubling the current capacity of around 6 million individuals.
In addition to these short-term shelters, there are facilities designed for extended use, capable of accommodating individuals for nearly two weeks.
These shelters are situated beneath public buildings and are stocked with emergency food supplies.
New two-week shelters are also being constructed in Sakishima, an archipelago near Taiwan, an area deemed particularly vulnerable should a crisis involving Taiwan arise, thus limiting evacuation options.
Japan's National Security Strategy, adopted in 2022, emphasized the need to secure various types of evacuation facilities, prompting the government's action plan to enhance shelter provisions.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has been an advocate for the development of these protective facilities since before assuming office, arguing that both underground and aboveground shelters serve as crucial deterrents against hostile nations.
This development is in response to increasing concerns over potential missile attacks.
Currently, Japan has over 58,000 bomb shelters, including both underground and aboveground facilities, designed to provide temporary refuge for citizens for durations ranging from one to two hours.
The existing infrastructure reportedly offers enough capacity to cover 140% of the nation's population.
However, only approximately 3,900 of these shelters, which represent about 7%, are underground, providing superior protection against explosive blasts.
The underground shelters currently support only around 5% of Japan's total population.
The government plans to finalize a set of guidelines during the current fiscal year that will encourage local authorities to identify additional shelter locations.
A recent report from the Cabinet Secretariat suggests that there are 1,489 additional sites that could serve as underground shelters.
These new sites would augment the current 4.91 million square meters of usable space by adding an estimated 4 million square meters.
The government estimates that each individual requires 0.825 square meters of space for short-term accommodation, meaning the anticipated total refuge area could cater to over 10 million people, effectively doubling the current capacity of around 6 million individuals.
In addition to these short-term shelters, there are facilities designed for extended use, capable of accommodating individuals for nearly two weeks.
These shelters are situated beneath public buildings and are stocked with emergency food supplies.
New two-week shelters are also being constructed in Sakishima, an archipelago near Taiwan, an area deemed particularly vulnerable should a crisis involving Taiwan arise, thus limiting evacuation options.
Japan's National Security Strategy, adopted in 2022, emphasized the need to secure various types of evacuation facilities, prompting the government's action plan to enhance shelter provisions.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has been an advocate for the development of these protective facilities since before assuming office, arguing that both underground and aboveground shelters serve as crucial deterrents against hostile nations.
