FireAndDisasterManagementAgency
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Japanese phones will soon get alerts for inbound missiles and other attacks
The Japanese get phone alerts for natural disasters, but they have more than that to worry about these days with an occasionally belligerent North Korea just a stone's throw away. Accordingly, Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency says that it will soon warn phone owners when there's a hostile missile launch, a terrorist attack or a similar human-made threat to their region. The new alerts will use the disaster technology from before, so residents won't have to worry about software upgrades when the warning system takes effect on April 1st. Locals hopefully won't ever see the system put to use, but it's good to know that it exists. [Image credit: Ignat Gorazd, Flickr]
Japan considers using social networks in disaster situations
Emergency services are embracing technology as new ways to investigate, send alerts and receive reports of crises. And now, the Japanese are looking at social networks to support communication in disaster scenarios, especially when traditional services fail. The local Fire and Disaster Management Agency put together a panel discussion on just that topic, with representatives attending from the likes of Twitter, Yahoo, Mixi and NHN Japan, as well as various government and emergency bodies. The talk was motivated, in part, by the March tsunami, when the internet was the sole means of information for some, and with initiatives like Google's Person Finder playing a role in the aftermath. Any formal implementation of the ideas discussed is probably a long way off, and this is the first of three planned meets to hash it out. In the meantime, however, Twitter's Japanese blog posted some suggestions on how their network could be used in emergencies -- we just hope they won't be needed anytime soon.
Japanese hotels to alert guests of imminent fire via SMS
As much as we love SMSing (ok, not as much as this guy) and all the oddities surrounding this now essential part of 21st century life, it often enters our lives in really ridiculous ways. According to Japan Today, the national Fire and Disaster Management Agency is giving software to the nation's hotels so each establishment can alert its guests by SMS or email when there's a fire on the premesis. Apparently the logic goes that elderly hotel guests who leave their phone on vibrate won't hear a normal ring, not to mention a fire alarm klaxon, but will have the presence of mind to check for incoming SMSes. We haven't heard yet if you can text the fire department or the FDMA for help, though. [Via Techdirt]
