From food to medicines: Japan and UK urge citizens to keep emergency supplies ready for at least 3 day
From earthquakes and wildfires to cyber incidents and extreme weather, both countries are urging people to be prepared before emergency help arrives.
- Oct 27, 2026,
- Updated Oct 27, 2026 3:39 PM IST
Japan and the UK are asking their citizens to prepare for emergencies by keeping essential supplies at home for three days to a week. While the UK has advised people to keep food, water, medicines, toilet paper, torches and cash, Japan has urged citizens to stock food, water and other essentials for at least three days and ideally a week.
The advice comes as both governments push people to be better prepared for sudden emergencies, including natural disasters, cyber incidents and other large-scale disruptions.
Japan asks citizens to keep a week's supplies
Japan's disaster management minister Goshi Hosono said the government will issue an "urgent request" to ministries, prefectures and citizens on November 2, when the country's Disaster Prevention Agency is established.
"I would say at least three days, and ideally a week, but even without public assistance at home, you should have food, toilets, water, and other such things prepared," Hosono told FNN.
Japan is preparing for national-level disasters including a Nankai Trough earthquake, a major earthquake directly beneath the capital, large earthquakes along the Kuril and Japan trenches, and a possible Mount Fuji volcanic eruption.
Hosono said the Disaster Prevention Agency will focus on such national-level disasters and stressed that "a different level of preparedness is necessary for a national-level disaster".
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He also said improving evacuation shelters would be a priority, with Japan looking to move from "TKB" to "TKBB", adding bath facilities to toilets, kitchens with warm meals and beds.
UK tells households to keep three days of supplies
The UK government has also advised people to keep three days of emergency supplies at home under its "Be Ready" campaign.
The advice includes keeping bottled water and non-perishable food at home. The broader guidance also encourages people to have medicines, toilet paper, torches and cash available during emergencies.
The UK renewed the message after a major PHP software glitch disrupted some services and triggered millions of hacking attempts. The government also cited risks from wildfires, extreme weather, cyber incidents, hostile states and organised crime.
Britain's advice is similar to that issued by the European Commission, which last year told EU citizens to keep a 72-hour emergency kit containing supplies such as food, water, cash and power banks.
The message from both countries is clear: households should be able to manage on their own for at least a few days if emergency services or public support are disrupted.
Japan and the UK are asking their citizens to prepare for emergencies by keeping essential supplies at home for three days to a week. While the UK has advised people to keep food, water, medicines, toilet paper, torches and cash, Japan has urged citizens to stock food, water and other essentials for at least three days and ideally a week.
The advice comes as both governments push people to be better prepared for sudden emergencies, including natural disasters, cyber incidents and other large-scale disruptions.
Japan asks citizens to keep a week's supplies
Japan's disaster management minister Goshi Hosono said the government will issue an "urgent request" to ministries, prefectures and citizens on November 2, when the country's Disaster Prevention Agency is established.
"I would say at least three days, and ideally a week, but even without public assistance at home, you should have food, toilets, water, and other such things prepared," Hosono told FNN.
Japan is preparing for national-level disasters including a Nankai Trough earthquake, a major earthquake directly beneath the capital, large earthquakes along the Kuril and Japan trenches, and a possible Mount Fuji volcanic eruption.
Hosono said the Disaster Prevention Agency will focus on such national-level disasters and stressed that "a different level of preparedness is necessary for a national-level disaster".
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He also said improving evacuation shelters would be a priority, with Japan looking to move from "TKB" to "TKBB", adding bath facilities to toilets, kitchens with warm meals and beds.
UK tells households to keep three days of supplies
The UK government has also advised people to keep three days of emergency supplies at home under its "Be Ready" campaign.
The advice includes keeping bottled water and non-perishable food at home. The broader guidance also encourages people to have medicines, toilet paper, torches and cash available during emergencies.
The UK renewed the message after a major PHP software glitch disrupted some services and triggered millions of hacking attempts. The government also cited risks from wildfires, extreme weather, cyber incidents, hostile states and organised crime.
Britain's advice is similar to that issued by the European Commission, which last year told EU citizens to keep a 72-hour emergency kit containing supplies such as food, water, cash and power banks.
The message from both countries is clear: households should be able to manage on their own for at least a few days if emergency services or public support are disrupted.