Abstract
We tried to clarify what information should be provided to foreign residents in preparation for a disaster similar to the heavy rains in July 2018 and how to convey the information. We conducted interviews with the support staff of foreign residents and Japanese language classes’ organizers, focusing on Kure, Higashi-Hiroshima, and Fukuyama city. The survey results show that foreign residents request the same information as Japanese residents, namely where to find shelters, how to get there safely, and details on the disaster. They want flash news on their smartphones in English or in basic Japanese. In addition, some foreign residents hope to attend disaster drills. However, two cities where we conducted interviews find it problematic to notify all foreign residents of a disaster, although it is necessary to provide multilingual information and secure staff resources. Therefore, it is urgent to provide information to international residents during a disaster using basic Japanese or communicate appropriately with an international community.
