Japan New Year Day Earthquake Update: Helpline for Affected Filipino Overseas Workers Activated by DMW

Japan was hit by a strong earthquake on New Year's day. Officials confirmed that the tremor was estimated to be over 7.5-magnitude.

JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) said that the earthquakes affected Ishikawa, as well as nearby north-central prefectures. Because of this, authorities issued major tsunami warnings in Ishikawa, Toyama, and Niigata.

Japan New Year Day Earthquake Update: Helpline for Affected Filipino Overseas Workers Activated by DMW — Local residents (R) inspect their house after it collapsed when a 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit the area the day before, in the city of Suzu, Ishikawa prefecture on May 6, 2023. STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images

Meanwhile, low-level tsunami alerts were issued for the northwestern coast of the island of Honshu. JMA officials claimed that over 40 earthquakes of around magnitude 3.5 happened between 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 1.

Aside from Japanese residents, Filipinos are also affected by the latest earthquake in Japan. Because of this, the Department of Migrant Workers activated a new hotline for OFWs.

New Helpline for Filipino OFWs Affected by Japan New Year Day Earthquake

According to Rappler's latest report, the Department of Migrant Workers launched a new hotline for overseas Filipino workers. This helpline is specifically for affected Filipinos residing in Japan, as well as for their families.

DMW said they can use the new helpline to seek assistance or information. If you're one of the affected Filipinos or have a relative living in the mentioned affected prefectures above, here are the DMW-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Japan help desk numbers you can call:

+632-1348 (from abroad)
1348 (for local)

Aside from the contact numbers above, you can also call the numbers for the DMW-Migrant Workers Office-Osaka hotline below:

+81 7024474016
+81 7022756082

The latest effort of the Department of Migrant Workers is a big deal for OFWs in Japan and for their families. This is because the Philippines is considered to be the 4th largest group of foreign residents in Japan.

The Philippine Embassy in Japan's latest data showed that there are around 290,000 Filipinos living in this Asian country.

Hotlines for Americans in Japan During Natural Disasters

The U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan provided the emergency contact numbers that Americans and other travelers can rely on during natural disasters and other emergencies.

"An emergency phone call can be made free of charge from any phone, including public pay phones in Japan," said the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan via its official website.

If you're an American, here are the emergency numbers you can call during times of disasters:

Police - Dial 110
Fire - Dial 119
Ambulance - Dial 119

Aside from these, there are also specific emergency contact numbers that Americans can call to seek assistance or information from the U.S. Embassy and consulates in Tokyo, Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Naha:

Tokyo