Japan issues 'how to' guides in case of nuclear attack from North Korea

Japan has issued a guide that details what citizens should do in the event of a nuclear attack, amid rising tensions with North Korea – and a rise of more than one million hits on a government website that provides information on nuclear attacks.

Earlier this week, the Prime Minister’s Office issued reviewed ‘how to protect yourself’ guidelines for citizens, which included advice on how to respond to a North Korean ballistic missile for the first time ever.

The stark guidance comes only weeks after North Korea tested four missiles that fell within Japan’s economic zone in the Sea of Japan, which separates Japan and the Korean Peninsula.

After the test, the North Korean government confirmed that it was practicing efforts to hit U.S. military bases stationed in Japan.

One section of the new guide specifically focuses on how citizens should respond in the immediate aftermath of an attack.

It states: ‘Evacuate indoors during the initial phase of the attack and then evacuate appropriately following instructions given by administrative agencies. In case of evacuating indoors, evacuate to a robust or underground shopping arcade nearby.’

The guide was issued after Japan’s official civil defence website received 5.7 million visitors in the first 23 days of April – a huge contrast to usual monthly traffic of less than 400,000 hits.

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Under the website’s Frequently Asked Questions section, the question of how long it would take for a North Korean missile to hit Japan is answered in startling fashion.

‘When a missile is launched from North Korea, it will not take long to reach Japan’, the answer reads.

‘For example, the ballistic missile launched from [North Korea] on February 7 last year took 10 minutes to fly over Okinawa.’