According to a report in Yomiuri Shimbun, the vast majority of community FM stations across Japan are standing ready to aid government and citizens in the event of a disaster.
The Great Hanshin Earthquake that hit Kobe, Japan, in January 1995 underscored the important role Japan’s 216 community radio stations play in disaster response.
Yomiuri Shimbun surveyed 191 members of the Japan Community Broadcasting Association (JCBA) via post, and received responses from 106 stations.
Ninety-six percent of the respondents said they viewed their mission as “providers of information during disasters.” Some 79 percent of respondents said they had provided emergency broadcasts during past typhoons and other disasters.
