'Is this a real war?' Japan's disaster minister urges public to stockpile a week's worth of food

A stir erupted in Japan after a cabinet minister previewed an "emergency public appeal" ahead of the launch of the country's new Disaster Management Agency, with news that citizens would be urged to stockpile at least three days' worth of food and water fueling fears that a war or major disaster was imminent.

According to the Nikkei and other outlets Sunday, Disaster Management Minister Hosono Koshi said he planned to issue the emergency appeal Monday to coincide with the agency's official launch.

Appearing on Fuji TV News on Oct. 26, Hosono urged the public to "prepare at least three days' worth — ideally a week's worth — of food, water and emergency toilet supplies." Hosono added that "if more people are able to sustain themselves, we can concentrate support on those who truly need it."

Hosono also noted during the broadcast that he had personally handled disaster response at the heart of government during the Great East Japan Earthquake. "National crises do actually happen," Hosono said, adding: "In the not-too-distant future, we will be put to the test. I want to make sure that, after the Disaster Management Agency launches, Japan's disaster preparedness system itself will have fundamentally changed."

But once the phrase "emergency appeal" and its contents became public, reactions spread online in Japan. "Is World War III breaking out or something?" some users wrote. Others speculated that critical infrastructure might be on the verge of a massive cyberattack, or that a major Nankai Trough earthquake was imminent.

As the controversy grew, Hosono drew a line, saying the move was not prompted by any intelligence predicting a disaster. At a news conference Friday, Hosono said, "Some are suggesting there is information predicting a war or disaster — that is not the case," explaining that the intent was simply to urge the public to prepare for the large-scale disasters expected to occur in the future.

The Disaster Management Agency serves as the command center overseeing all phases of disaster response, from prevention to recovery. It was established by elevating the Cabinet Office's existing disaster management division to proactively address catastrophic scenarios such as a Nankai Trough megaquake and a major earthquake directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area. The prime minister heads the agency, with Hosono — who also serves as minister for reconstruction — concurrently holding the post of disaster management minister.