Page 373 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  371

in eight languages and also
provides a free tele phone
interpreter service for use in
consultations. The latter can
locate English­speaking doc tors
anywhere in Japan for free, and
can also provide interpretation
services for a small fee. The US
Embassy website has a list of
medical resources around Japan
with English­speaking staff.
Medicines are dispensed at School children practicing an earthquake drill
pharmacies. Western brands
are available, if expensive, at the fish served in restaurants heavy furniture not securely fixed
pharmacies such as American and on sale in supermarkets is to a wall. The Tokyo Government
Pharmacy. Contact lenses can prepared by experts. Eat raw has issued a useful bilingual
be obtained with relative ease, meat only in a good restaurant. Earthquake Survival Manual,
and Western­brand lens Fruit and vege tables are clean, and the Japan Meteorological
solutions are very reasonably but it is wise to wash or peel, as Agency provides early warnings.
priced. Insect repellents and appropriate, before eating. Typhoons may bring strong
soothing lotions for mosquito If you are staying in Japan for winds and cause flooding or
bites (Mu­hi is a popular brand) over a month or visiting rural landslides so it is best to stay
are sold in pharmacies. Chinese areas, it is advisable to get an indoors. Active volcanoes are
herbal medicine is widely encephalitis vaccine. usually fenced off so no one goes
available (see p356). dangerously close. Poisonous
fumes occasionally seep from
Natural Disasters the crater or its vicinity so keep
Minor Hazards
Each year, Japan experiences a lookout for warning notices.
Despite the nuclear accident in more than 1,000 earthquakes
Fukushima in 2011 (see p265), strong enough to be felt, but Travel and Health
the water is considered safe to not cause any destruction. In
drink, but buy bottled water if major cities, tall buildings have Insurance
you prefer. Raditation levels in mechanisms to absorb motion. All visitors should take out
food are closely monitored, During a strong earthquake, comprehensive travel insur ance
so there should be no danger especially in an old building, before traveling. It is important
in consuming food that has open doors (to prevent them to confirm that it covers
been distributed. from buckling and jamming) medical costs since these can
Food poisoning is rare and tap and turn off any gas. Do not be extremely high in Japan.
water is drink able through out go outside, where debris may Without insurance, an emer­
Japan. Avoid drinking water fall, but take shelter under a gency can be very expen sive.
from streams. Raw seafood in reinforced doorway or sturdy Insurance should also cover
sushi and sashimi is not a risk. table. Avoid sleeping close to areas loss of belongings, theft,
Fugu (blowfish) is safe since all heavy objects that may fall or and cancellation of journey.
DIRECTORY
Police Japan Helpline Hospitals and US Embassy
Tel 0570­000­911. Pharmacies ∑ japan.usembassy.
Police English Help ∑ jhelp.com/en/jhlp.
Line html AMDA International gov/e/acs/tacs-7119.
Tel (03) 3501­0110. Medical Inform ation html
Tokyo English Life Center
In an Emergency Line Tel (03) 5285­8088. Natural Disasters
Police/Fire/ Tel (03) 5774­0992. American Pharmacy Earthquake Survival
Ambulance Open 9am–11pm daily. B1 Marunouchi Bldg, Manual
Tel 110. ∑ telljp.com 2­4­1 Marunouchi ∑ metro.tokyo.jp/
Tel 119. Tokyo Metropolitan Chiyoda­ku, Tokyo. ENGLISH/POLICY/
Emergency Medical Health and Medical Tel (03) 5220­7716. security.htm
Translation Services Information Center Japanese Healthcare
Tel (03) 5285­8185. Tel (03) 5285­8181. Info Japan Meteorological
Open 5–8pm Mon–Fri, Open 9am–8pm daily. Tel (080) 4421­7477. Agency
9am–8pm Sat, Sun, & ∑ himawari.metro. ∑ japanhealth ∑ jma.go.jp/jma/en/
pub hols. tokyo.jp info.com Activities/eew.html

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