When a large earthquake strikes, people are firstly concerned about the safety of their family members and friends who are living in the affected area. Telephone calls and e-mails inquiring about others' safety are usually concentrated within the affected area, making phone connections within the area difficult.

In such situations, the following three methods are effective means to confirm peopleÕs safety.

"Disaster Messaging Service"is available only at the time of a disaster. Messages concerning the safety of yourself and others can be recorded on NTT's storage devices by dialing 171 and then your home phone number (to leave a message) or the land line number of others you are enquiring after (to hear their messages). This voice mail service offers the chance for people living outside an affected area to make contact with family members, relatives, and friends living in the affected area through recording and playing back messages.
The start of the service will be announced on TV and by other media. When you dial the messaging service (171) you will also hear an announcement about the availability of the service.

The "Disaster Messaging Service" service can be used on domestic ordinary telephones, payphones, mobile telephones, and PHS telephones (excluding some PHS providers).

When a major disaster occurs in the prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, in conjunction with the municipalities within the prefecture, sets aside a part of its Web site to be used as a bulletin board, for contacting family members and acquaintances and for asking general questions or requesting assistance.

Residents of Saitama Prefecture can visit this bulletin board from the Web site of the nearest municipal government.
URL:http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/saigai/

Cellular phone companies will provide a service that enables users to record information about their own safety using their cellular phones, in the event of an earthquake or other disaster.