Tokyo is set to host the first evacuation drill in the face of a possible missile attack from North Korea following the repeated tests of missiles that saw some of them fly over Japanese territory earlier this year.
Some 250 people are set to take part in the drill scheduled on January 22 to rehearse the swift evacuation of indoor and underground spaces after the J-Alert nationwide emergency warning system sends a notification of the missile launch, according to the state-owned NHK channel.
The drill will be held near the subway station and amusement park at the Tokyo Dome stadium under the scenario of a ballistic missile heading towards the Japanese territory, a growing threat in Japan since two North Korean missiles flew over the northern island of Hokkaido in August and September.
The Japanese government conducted drills in 25 municipalities across the country since March to ensure people are quickly informed and a quick and safe evacuation is undertaken in the face of repeated ballistic missile tests by Pyongynang, which successfully launched about 20 missiles this year, Efe news reported.
The first evacuation drill was conducted in the northeastern Oga neighbourhood on March 17, after a missile fell 200 km off the coast of Akita prefecture in the same month.
No drill has been conducted in the densely populated areas such as Tokyo until now as it requires a significant amount of preparations such as traffic restrictions.
