What Japan Can Teach the World About Earthquake Preparedness After the Afghanistan Quake

What Afghanistan’s Earthquake Taught Us—and How Japan’s Model Could Save Lives Worldwide

When a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on August 31, 2025, it killed over 1,100 people, injured more than 3,500, and left entire villages buried beneath rubble. The tragedy highlighted once again the devastating impact natural disasters can have—especially in regions with limited infrastructure, weak governance, and ongoing humanitarian crises.

But while the global community scrambled to respond, many experts looked east—for answers.

Japan, one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, has spent decades developing systems to prevent these very tragedies. From engineering and technology to social readiness and cultural education, Japan has built one of the most advanced disaster-preparedness ecosystems anywhere. And now, as seismic risks rise globally, these lessons may be more relevant than ever before.

Let’s explore what happened in Afghanistan—and how Japan’s real-world model could help prevent the same outcomes elsewhere.

The Earthquake That Shattered Villages

At 2:36 a.m. local time, residents of the Kunar and Nangarhar provinces were jolted awake by what sounded like an explosion. In many villages, mud-brick houses crumbled instantly. Survivors described hearing “a sound like thunder” as entire walls collapsed, trapping families inside.

One man, Hamid Jan, recalled:

“I tried to grab my son, but before I could reach him, the entire ceiling came down. I was buried under the rubble for five hours.”

Others lost entire families. Sadiqullah, a farmer, told reporters:

“I pulled my daughter out from one side of the wall, and then the roof came down again. My wife and son were gone.”

These are not isolated stories. In many villages, up to 90% of buildings were destroyed. Roads became impassable due to landslides. Access to medical care was limited, especially for women and children, who often couldn’t reach male-dominated emergency services due to cultural norms. Even helicopters struggled to reach remote areas.

While emergency support from the UN and Red Crescent began to arrive, international aid was slow. The Taliban-led government, already under sanctions and diplomatic isolation, lacked the capacity to coordinate an effective response.

Why the Damage Was So Severe

Experts quickly pointed out that the shallow depth of the quake, the fragility of local housing, and lack of preparedness all contributed to the high death toll.

Most homes in the affected region were built with sun-dried mud bricks, offering little resistance to seismic motion. In earthquake engineering terms, these are non-ductile, unreinforced masonry—meaning they break rather than bend.

Moreover, early warning systems were nonexistent. Villagers had no idea how strong the quake would be, how long it would last, or whether more aftershocks were coming.

And yet, in Japan, earthquakes of even higher magnitude often result in zero casualties. Why?

That’s where the contrast—and the lesson—comes in.

What Japan Does Differently: A System Built Over Time

Japan has faced its share of devastating earthquakes. The 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake killed over 6,400 people. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami claimed nearly 20,000 lives. But since then, Japan has revolutionized how it prepares for and responds to disasters.

Here’s how:

1. Engineering and Building Codes

Japan enforces some of the strictest earthquake-resistant building regulations in the world. Modern buildings are equipped with:

• Seismic isolators (that allow buildings to “float” on shaking ground)
• Dampers that absorb kinetic energy
• Flexible joints to prevent collapse

Even older buildings undergo mandatory seismic retrofitting. By contrast, in Afghanistan, there are no national building standards for rural homes—and even if there were, most families could not afford them.

“It’s not just about better buildings—it’s about knowing that when the ground shakes, your house won’t be your coffin,” says structural engineer Dr. Kit Miyamoto.

2. Early Warning Systems

Japan’s EEW (Earthquake Early Warning) system can detect primary waves (P-waves) milliseconds after they start and issue alerts within 3–10 seconds—enough to slow down trains, stop elevators, and let people take cover.

In Afghanistan, no such system exists. No sirens, no text alerts, no centralized communication.

3. Public Drills and Education

In Japanese schools, children are taught from age 5 how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold”. Evacuation drills are routine. Workplaces, nursing homes, and public transport systems all participate in nationally coordinated preparedness activities.

By adulthood, this becomes ingrained behavior—people know how to respond calmly and effectively.

Not Just About Wealth: Cultural Mindset Matters

One might argue that Japan’s success is due to wealth. But it’s not only a matter of money—it’s also culture.

Japan views disaster preparedness as a civic duty, not just a government task. Neighborhood groups stock emergency supplies. Families keep go-bags near the door. Volunteers train to guide evacuation efforts in case of tsunami or quake.

In contrast, Afghanistan’s decades of war, poverty, and political instability have made such preparation a low priority. Trust in institutions is minimal. People rely on family and fate.

Still, these are not insurmountable barriers—they are starting points for targeted change.

Turning Tragedy into a Catalyst: What Can Be Done?

The heartbreaking images from Afghanistan—fathers digging with bare hands, women crying over collapsed homes—have ignited a critical question:

How can countries like Afghanistan adopt some of Japan’s life-saving approaches?

Let’s break it down into actionable insights:

1. Start Small, Start Local

Japan’s comprehensive system took decades. But the first steps don’t require billions in funding. Instead:

• Train local masons and builders in basic earthquake-resistant techniques using affordable materials.
• Use existing community structures—mosques, schools, clinics—to store emergency kits and train leaders.
• Develop “quake awareness days” with simple drills and educational posters.

Just as Dr. Kit Miyamoto has done in other developing countries (including Afghanistan post-2022), small, scalable interventions can save lives.

“Even teaching one village to reinforce corners or avoid heavy roofs can change everything in the next quake.” — Dr. Miyamoto

2. Leverage Technology, Even in Low-Tech Areas

While Japan’s EEW relies on advanced seismographs and 5G networks, even basic tools can help:

• SMS-based alerts through local telecoms
• Solar-powered sirens
• Community radios or megaphones to spread warnings quickly

Open-source solutions and NGO tech partnerships can fill the gaps—if the political will exists.

3. Center Women and Children in Disaster Planning

In Afghanistan, cultural norms prevent women from accessing aid. Many lack permission to speak to male medics, enter shelters, or travel alone to hospitals.

Japan faced similar gender gaps in earlier decades—but targeted education and female-led disaster committees have made a difference.

• Recruit and train female responders in conservative areas.
• Create safe zones for women and children with trusted local leaders.
• Ensure that aid communication is delivered in languages and formats accessible to all—not just male heads of households.

Global Responsibility: Japan’s Model Isn’t Just for Itself

The world is becoming more dangerous—not just politically, but geologically. Climate change is triggering more floods, landslides, and even quakes due to groundwater shifts. Urbanization means more people are packed into risk zones.

And as the World Economic Forum emphasizes, Japan’s approach isn’t a luxury—it’s a model of resilience that must be shared.

“Preparedness is not just a national policy—it’s a global ethic,” notes the Forum’s 2025 report on disaster adaptation.

Japan already shares its systems through JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), including:

• Disaster training in Southeast Asia and Africa
• Retrofitting schools in Nepal and Indonesia
• Deploying Japanese engineers after global disasters

But more can be done to democratize Japan’s knowledge, especially via:

• Open access training modules in local languages
• Cross-cultural emergency planning guides
• Funding support for micro-scale retrofits

Lessons from Loss: What Afghanistan’s Quake Demands of Us

It’s too late to save those buried under the mud-brick homes of Kunar. But it’s not too late to learn from their stories.

Their deaths were not just caused by nature—but by our failure to prepare.

Every aftershock we ignore—every community left vulnerable—is a moral choice.

So whether you’re in Kabul or Kathmandu, Lagos or Lima, Tokyo or Tehran—the lesson is the same:

Prepare before the ground shakes. Not after.

🔚 Summary Takeaways

🔗 References

• ‘The walls collapsed around me’: Afghans describe quake devastation (The Guardian)
• Afghanistan’s latest quake: the devastation it caused (Reuters)
• Japan Earthquake Early Warning System (Wikipedia)
• Japan can teach the world about disaster preparedness (World Economic Forum)
• Disaster preparedness in Japan saves lives (Business Insider)