Local communities along Japan's Pacific coast and the central government intensified preparations on Friday for a potential massive earthquake following an advisory issued by authorities after the previous day's strong temblor.
The weather agency issued its first-ever advisory on a megaquake along the Nankai Trough, running between central to southwestern Japan, on Thursday, sending shockwaves across the country and prompting private and public sectors to brace for the potential disaster.
In Nichinan, Miyazaki Prefecture, the area affected by the M7.1 earthquake that struck southwestern Japan the previous day, officials were busy inspecting the conditions of already-opened evacuation shelters and repairing damaged water pipes.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi asked people to "reconfirm earthquake preparedness" while "continuing social and economic activities in daily lives," a day after the weather agency called on the public to remain on alert for about a week.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided to cancel his planned four-day trip to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia, saying at a press conference that he will stay in Japan as the "top official in charge of the nation's crisis management."
Later Friday, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.3 jolted areas near Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, adding that it appears not to be linked with the chance of a huge quake occurring along the Nankai Trough in the Pacific.
While the agency said the likelihood of a bigger quake hitting the country within a week is "about one in several hundred," some power utilities have stepped up preparation efforts for the potential disaster.
Thermal plant operator Jera Co., a joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co., said it is on emergency alert, having reaffirmed communication routes with fuel carriers and evacuation protocols for these carriers.
Kyushu Electric Power Co. and Kansai Electric Power Co. set up task forces to handle the potential megaquake, while Chubu Electric Power Co. arranged to station an additional 30 personnel at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture at all times.
The weather agency's extraordinary advisory, which highlights the increased risks of a massive earthquake, also led foreign missions in Japan to notify their citizens about the potential dangers.
The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo posted a message on social media, "In light of the recent earthquake advisory, we urge everyone to review your emergency plans. Please visit the Embassy's webpage for more information on how to prepare for emergencies in Japan."
Some businesses in the tourism sector, meanwhile, have faced negative impacts from the heightened awareness of the potential disaster, as several municipalities have requested people to avoid nonessential and nonurgent travels, causing public confusion.
Hotels in the southwestern prefectures of Miyazaki, Oita and Kagoshima on Kyushu, one of Japan's four main islands, were hit by a wave of cancellations. Around 150 people canceled their reservations at a hotel in Miyazaki by noon on Friday.
In consideration of the tsunami risk, some popular beaches along the Pacific coast, including Shirahama in western Japan, were closed for swimming as part of earthquake safety precautions. Swimming will also be prohibited at a beach park near Tokyo through next Thursday.
In the wake of Thursday's powerful earthquake, which was centered on the western edge of the Nankai Trough, the weather agency warned that a huge quake along the trench could cause widespread devastation across the nation with violent jolts and massive tsunami.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency has designated 707 municipalities in Tokyo and 28 prefectures as areas for bolstering disaster management against a Nankai Trough megaquake.
History shows that a major earthquake around the Nankai Trough occurs every 100 to 150 years. About 80 years have passed since the last one.
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Japan PM cancels Central Asia, Mongolia trip over megaquake advisory
Japan sees higher-than-usual risk of megaquake off Pacific Coast
M7.1 quake hits southwestern Japan, megaquake fear grows
