JAPAN GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENT
City & Country
Dates of travel
Students affected
JAPAN
July 2016 to June 2017
Study abroad students going to
Japan
Prepared by
Date
Sussex Abroad Office
11 th April 2016
Before you go
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides travel advice by country. It covers safety and security, local laws and customs, entry requirements, health and natural disasters along with a host of other useful information. We strongly recommend that students read the section related to their destination prior to departure and before undertaking any trip to another part of the county/region. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/japan
Visa regulations:
Please check regulations relating to visas on the Japanese Embassy website: http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html
It’s illegal to work in
Japan without the correct visa, however informal or temporary the work. Don’t overstay your permission to remain in the country, otherwise you risk arrest, detention and a heavy fine.
Passport visa regulations:
Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required.
Emergency number: 110 Police/119 Fire or Ambulance
Vaccinations : Visit your health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures.
Country specific information and advice is published by the National Travel Health Network and Centre on the TravelHealthPro website
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Type
Crime/security
Fukushima
Nature of the Hazards
Reports of inappropriate touching or
‘chikan’ of female passengers on commuter trains are fairly common.
Tokyo’s entertainment districts, like
Roppongi and Kabuki-cho (near Shinjuku station), are considered higher risk areas for crime, in particular at night. There are reports of foreign nationals being targeted for drink-spiking, credit card fraud, extortion, robbery and assault in clubs and bars.
British nationals have been arrested following disputes with bar staff and doormen. Some have been violently beaten leading to severe injuries after refusing to pay exorbitant bar bills. There have also been reports of drink spiking or deliberately giving customers drinks with much higher levels of alcohol than would be expected. Victims have described waking up, often in an unknown location, with no memory of the preceding hours and finding out that large amounts have been billed to their credit card.
Based on guidance from UK Government scientists, the FCO advise against all travel to the exclusion zones around the
Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant identified by the Japanese authorities.
Procedures to minimise risks
The police advise that you shout at the perpetrator to attract attention and ask a fellow passenger to call the train staff.
Be vigilant at night. Don’t lose sight of your card during transactions. Don’t leave your drink unattended. Be wary of accepting drinks from strangers and always have a trusted friend to keep an eye on any unfinished drink if you need to leave it for a period of time. Don’t accompany touts to bars and clubs under any circumstances.
See the FCO website for a map of the exclusion zones.
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Local Laws
Volcanoes
You must carry your passport or residence card at all times.
There are several active volcanoes in
Japan.
If your passport is lost or stolen, you should report this at a police station and get a police report.
You should monitor local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities. Check latest volcano warnings on the website of the Japanese Meteorological Agency .
Earthquakes and
Tsunamis
Japan is a major earthquake zone.
Typhoons
Drugs:
The typhoon season runs from June to
December with most activity between July and September. Southern parts of the country are particularly at risk. Typhoons that hit Japan are often accompanied by damaging high tides. People living in coastal areas are particularly at risk.
Landslides can occur anywhere. The dangers increase when an earthquake occurs shortly after a typhoon has saturated an area.
Japan has a zero tolerance towards drug crime and there are severe penalties for all drug offences. Detection facilities at airports and post offices are effective.
British nationals have been arrested and detained for receiving small quantities of cannabis through the mail, and for returning positive results in tests carried out by Japanese Police on customers in bars.
You should familiarise yourself with safety procedures in the event of an earthquake or tsunami, and take note of instructions in hotel rooms. Tsunami warnings are published by the Japan Meteorological Agency
(http://www.jma.go.jp/en/tsunami/)
You should monitor the progress of approaching storms on the website of the Japan Meteorological Agency. See the tropical cyclones page on the FCO website for information and advice about what to do if you’re caught up in a storm.
Don’t become involved with drugs of any kind.
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Medication
Road Travel
The use or possession of some common prescription and over-the-counter medicines are ban ned under Japan’s strictly enforced anti-stimulant drugs law.
This includes Vicks inhalers, medicines for allergies and sinus problems and even some mild painkillers like those containing codeine. Customs officials may not be sympathetic if you claim ignorance.
Penalties for driving in Japan without the correct documents are severe. There are severe penalties to deter drink driving, including allowing someone else to drink and drive (for example if you are a passenger in a vehicle being driven by a drunk driver). Offences can attract a heavy fine or imprisonment.
If in any doubt, check with the nearest Japanese Embassy or
Consulate before you travel for advice .
To drive in Japan, you must hold an International Driving
Permit (IDP), a current UK licence and insurance. Don’t drink and drive or get in a car with someone if you suspect they have been drinking.
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