Jul 8, 2018
The need for multi-language emergency alerts?
Ironically, I had just read @Saitama's post about Japan's emergency alert system this morning, when one popped up on my phone only about half an hour later.
I'm also immensely grateful for the fact that Japan has an emergency alert system - even if it is only 30 seconds or so, like @saitama mentioned in her post it can be the 30 seconds that mean you can get to a doorway or move a hot cup of coffee (or any other hazardous bits and bobs) out of the way before a potential quake.
My only problem is...I can't read the emergency alerts.
I know, I know. I've mentioned it several times on City-Cost now that my Japanese is poor, and I'm sure a lot of you are probably thinking "get it together, lady - learn some of the language!". The fact of the matter is unlike some expats who are here most likely for the long term due to marrying a Japanese citizen, my family's stay in Japan has always been a short term thing since we're a double expat couple.
This morning's emergency alert was actually due to some of the rain we've received in the local area, and the next city over in Uonuma was warned about the potential of landslides occurring. I had to laugh though because in the moment, after having read about Chiba's earthquake yesterday, my mind just went to "quake mode" and I grabbed my daughter and stood in the doorway with my phone checking Google Translate.
Yup, I'm that gaijin that heavily relies on Google Translate to get by...
I'm not expecting Japan to amend their emergency alerts to feature multiple languages simply for my benefit -- but I think forward to large scale international events such as the 2020 Olympics, or to the fact that many expats live here and work for multinational corporations that don't need a lick of Japanese in their day to day lives. There's even a population of around 100,000 U.S. military members, their families, and civilian workers here in Japan. At a certain point, it begs the question as to whether having multi-language emergency alerts is not just a nicety, but a necessity.
Suck it up, buttercup, or get on with it and have emergency alerts in several languages? Have any strong thoughts either way?
7 Comments
BigfamJapan
on Jul 8
I saw an article in the Japan Times earlier in the year that there is talk about doing it, please God they won't wait for forever and get it done sooner rather than later. FWIW - its one thing learning how to speak Japanese, its a whole other learning how to read it. If I hadn't learnt it in University I wouldn't have been able to read / write it when I came. I'm not sure that I would have learned it either. There are quite a lot of long term expats or foreign spouses who speak fluent Japanese and can't read a bar of it. And they plan to stay here for life!
Candiajia1
on Jul 8
@Saitama you just cracked me up!! I like how you said it... it’s not just about speaking the language... reading too is important and that’s nigh impossible- especially when you finally figured out a few katakana or hiragana only to get some random kanji smack dab in the middle ! Those are killers. Those are moments when I just throw my hands up and say forget it!
Candiajia1
on Jul 8
@Saitama you just cracked me up!! I like how you said it... it’s not just about speaking the language... reading too is important and that’s nigh impossible- especially when you finally figured out a few katakana or hiragana only to get some random kanji smack dab in the middle ! Those are killers. Those are moments when I just throw my hands up and say forget it!
helloalissa
on Jul 9
If you're here long enough, your kids can read it for you? I get that it isn't easy and I struggle with the motivation to continue studying. It does take Japanese people 12 years to learn kanji in school, so don't be so hard on yourself. You have to start at the beginning like everyone else. Those are not elementary school kanji.
genkidesu
on Jul 9
@Saitama ah, that's such a good point about it being easier to speak it than necessarily read it. I find kanji so difficult and the emergency alerts are littered with kanji! I guess part of me feels guilty/embarrassed that I don't know more...but it is a hard language to get to grips with!
genkidesu
on Jul 9
@helloalissa haha I am hoping that might be the case! Thank you for the reassurance...kanji to me are just so hard to wrap my head around - but knowing that 12 years of school are required to get to that level makes me feel a little less critical of myself!
BigfamJapan
on Jul 9
@Candiajia1 don't tell anyone, but... I still struggle with katakana!! I can read Kanji easier than Katakana :-D