- Which winter risks rise, in figures from Japanese authorities
- What to check each month from November to February
- What households, older relatives and small workplaces should do first
- The first 30 minutes of a blackout, heavy snow, a water cut or an earthquake
- A checklist to use with family and colleagues before winter
Conclusion
Winter preparedness is easier to manage if you split it into four areas: fire, cold and bathing, snow, and losing power or water. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA), 75.6% of the people who died in house fires in 2024 (excluding arson suicides and related cases) were aged 65 or over. Of the 72 people who died because of snow between November 2025 and April 2026, 60 died while clearing snow, for example from roofs. In both areas, preparation pays off most in households with older family members.
Rather than doing everything at once, spread it over the months: checks in November, getting ready to leave home in December, practising how to contact each other and watching for cold waves in January, and heavy snow in February. This article ties together the key points of our ten winter preparedness columns and our column on earthquake early warnings, and sets out what to do in the first 30 minutes of each situation. The step-by-step details stay in the individual columns.
Winter risks in numbers
The figures below come from material published by Japanese public bodies. Each source uses its own period and method, so do not add rows together or compare them with each other.
| Risk | Figure | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| House fires | 11,839 (56.5% of building fires) | 2024 | FDMA White Paper on Fire Service, 2025 edition |
| Deaths in house fires | 1,030 (excluding arson suicides and related cases), of whom 779 (75.6%) were 65 or over | 2024 | FDMA, fire statistics (final figures) |
| Causes of house fire deaths | Among cases with a known cause, cigarettes (147) and heaters (111) were the top two | 2024 | Same as above |
| Fires caused by heaters | 1,016 (just under 3% of all fires) | 2024 | FDMA e-College |
| When building fires happen | December had the most; fires are frequent from winter into spring | 2024 | FDMA White Paper, 2025 edition |
| Drowning among older people | 8,270 people aged 65 or over, 6,541 of them in a bathtub; most common in December and January | 2023 | Consumer Affairs Agency |
| Deaths caused by snow | 72 (62 aged 65 or over); 60 while clearing snow; 39 in January and 29 in February | Nov 2025 to Apr 2026 (preliminary) | FDMA, snow damage report |
| Deaths caused by snow (previous winter) | 22 (60 the winter before) | Nov 2023 to Apr 2024 | FDMA White Paper, 2024 edition |
Three things stand out. First, fire deaths fall heavily on older people. Three in four people who died in house fires were 65 or over, and heaters were the second most common known cause of death after cigarettes. That is why November, when people start using heaters, is the time to review where they stand and whether the smoke alarms work.
Second, accidents in the bath are large in scale. The Consumer Affairs Agency says about 80% of drowning deaths among older people happen while bathing, and that they rise in winter, especially in December and January. The 6,541 bathtub deaths in a single year is a large number even next to all fire deaths (1,451 in 2024).
Third, snow damage varies a lot from year to year, but the main way people die does not. The most recent winter saw 72 deaths, more than three times the previous winter, and 68 of them were in January and February alone. Sixty died while clearing snow, 52 of whom were 65 or over. Even if you live somewhere with little snow, it is worth checking whether a parent in snow country is clearing the roof alone.
We could not find statistics on the number of carbon monoxide poisoning cases, so it is not in the table. NITE explains that carbon monoxide has no colour or smell, and that headaches and other symptoms start once it reaches 0.02% (200 ppm) in the air. In winter, the situations to watch are generators during a blackout, car exhausts blocked by snow, and fuel-burning heaters used without ventilation.
We could not read and confirm the government's outlook for this winter's electricity supply (such as reserve margins) from a primary source when writing, so it is not covered here. Specific figures for saving electricity at home are in our column on winter power saving.
A calendar from November to February
Checks and practice are easier to keep up when they are tied to a fixed occasion. The table lists the occasion for each month and what to check.
| Month | Occasion | What to check | Related column |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | Autumn National Fire Prevention Campaign (9 to 15 November) | Press the test button on each home fire alarm, and check it is less than 10 years old. Keep flammable things away from heaters. Clean the air conditioner filter | Two winter risks at home / Choosing and using heaters |
| November | Start of the heating season | Check power banks for the PSE mark, swelling and recalls. Look up your address on the hazard map and bookmark the power outage page | Preventing power bank fires / Official sources of disaster information |
| December | Start of the snow season | Winter tyres, chains, a shovel and a blanket in the car. Count how many days your water and food would last your household | Winter blackouts and heavy snow / Stockpiling at home and work |
| December | Year-end trips home and long holidays | At your parents' home, test the fire alarms and check how the bathroom is warmed. Unplug appliances if you will be away for a long time. No more than two power banks in the cabin on flights | Two winter risks at home / Winter power saving |
| January | 171 practice days (1 to 3 January, 15 to 21 January) | Try 171 once as a family and agree on one phone number for leaving messages | Checking on family with 171 and web171 |
| January to February | Forecasts of cold waves and heavy snow | Go out less once a forecast is issued. Decide on remote work or schedule changes the day before. Never clear roofs alone | Winter blackouts and heavy snow |
November comes first because the fire prevention campaign makes it easy to raise the subject with family and colleagues. The FDMA asks people to test home fire alarms regularly and to replace them about 10 years after installation.
The year-end trip home is one of the few chances to check the home of a parent who lives elsewhere. A few minutes is enough: press the alarm button together and see whether there is a way to warm the changing room. Since 24 April 2026, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has limited passengers to two power banks in the cabin and asks them not to charge them, or use them to charge devices, on board.
January and February were when most snow deaths happened. When heavy snow is expected, the Japan Meteorological Agency and the transport ministry issue an emergency announcement asking people to avoid non-essential outings, including by working remotely. The 171 practice service is also open on the 1st and 15th of every month, so 1 or 15 February works just as well if you miss January.
Earthquakes and J-Alert do not follow the seasons. During the national earthquake early warning drill on 5 November, phones were not supposed to ring. How to check that your phone will receive the real thing is covered in our article on the warning drill.
Priorities for households, older relatives and small workplaces
The same winter calls for different first steps depending on who you are. Work down each column from the top.
| Order | Households | Older relatives (including those living apart) | Small workplaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check that the home fire alarms sound, and when they were installed | Speak to them before they bathe, and warm the changing room and bathroom. Water at 41°C or below, soaking for up to 10 minutes | Name the person who decides on remote work or visitor changes once heavy snow is forecast |
| 2 | Water and food for at least 3 days (about 3 litres of drinking water per person per day) | Look at the space around heaters and at loose sleeves. Press the alarm button together | Decide how people will hear warnings (a PA system, or whoever's phone sounds calls out) |
| 3 | Agree as a family on one number for leaving 171 messages | Never clear snow alone; ask family or neighbours so that two or more people work together | List where supplies are stored and when they expire |
| 4 | Agree to unplug electric heaters if the power goes out | Write down the names, doses and timing of medicines | Set a date to check any power banks lent to staff |
Fire alarms come first for households because house fires cause many deaths and the check takes one press of a button. The stockpile in second place follows the Prime Minister's Office disaster page, which suggests a week's worth to prepare for a large disaster.
The column for older relatives is ordered by the size of the numbers. In both bath accidents and house fires, most people who die are 65 or over. For snow clearing, the FDMA lists ten rules for preventing accidents, including working in pairs or more, wearing a safety rope and helmet, and taking extra care on sunny days, when roof snow loosens.
For small workplaces, Tokyo's ordinance on people unable to get home after a disaster asks employers to make an effort to store three days of water and food for staff (an obligation to make efforts, not a strict requirement). Tokyo's guide suggests 9 litres of water, 9 meals and 15 uses of an emergency toilet per person. Workplaces outside Tokyo should check their own local government's guidance.
The first 30 minutes, by situation
There is no time to reread articles in an emergency. Here we have pulled out only what to do in the first 30 minutes, based on each column.
The power goes out
- Unplug electric heaters and other heating appliances. If you are leaving, also switch off the main breaker
- Use fuel-burning heaters such as kerosene stoves only with ventilation. Never run a generator indoors or in a car
- Turn on Low Power Mode or your phone's battery saver, and do not let the whole family drain their batteries at once
- Check the outage area and expected restoration time on your regional power grid company's website (treat the time as an estimate)
When the power returns, check cords for damage or scorching before switching the breaker back on, then plug appliances in one at a time. The Consumer Affairs Agency also warns about fires that start when electricity is restored.
Snowed in
If you are in a car, keep clearing snow from around the exhaust and open a window slightly for ventilation. The Hokuriku snow disaster centre advises staying with the car in a blizzard unless you can clearly see rescuers or a shelter, and giving the route number and the roadside kilometre marker when calling for help. The FDMA says that if you have no choice but to leave the car, leave it unlocked with the key somewhere easy to find inside.
If you are at home, stay in, and if you use a forced-flue (FF) heater, check that the outdoor intake and exhaust are not blocked by snow. Clear roofs with at least two people and carry a phone. The FDMA notes that sunny days are the most dangerous, because the snow on the roof loosens.
The water is cut off
- Do not flush the toilet. Line the bowl with a rubbish bag and put shredded newspaper or similar inside
- Keep drinking water separate from the household water you stored in the bath
- Check your local government's information for water distribution points. Three litres weighs 3 kg, so carry water in a backpack or in plastic bottles
- Save water at meals by cooking food in heat-safe plastic bags in boiling water, and covering plates with cling film
Tokyo warns that in apartment buildings, if pipes are damaged, flushed water can overflow from toilets on lower floors. For the cold, newspaper between layers of clothing and cardboard on the floor help.
An earthquake strikes
- There are only seconds to tens of seconds between an earthquake early warning and strong shaking. Do not rush outside. Stop a lift at the nearest floor and get out. If driving, slow down gradually without braking hard
- When the shaking stops and you leave, switch off the main breaker first
- Leave a message on 171 or web171, under the one number you agreed on
- Check official sources such as your local government's evacuation information and the Japan Meteorological Agency, and compare unverified posts against them before acting
The free Wi-Fi network 00000JAPAN, opened in disasters, has no encryption, so do not sign in to anything or enter card numbers while connected. How to check your phone signal is covered in our article on losing signal.
If J-Alert broadcasts a ballistic missile warning, go into the nearest building or underground if you are outside, and move away from windows if you are inside. What to do in each location is in our column on J-Alert ballistic missile warnings.
The first 30 minutes, by situation
- Unplug electric heaters
- Ventilate fuel heaters
- No generators indoors or in cars
→ Reconnect one by one
- Clear snow from the exhaust
- Stay with the car in a blizzard
- Clear roofs in pairs or more
→ Open a window a little
- Do not flush the toilet
- Keep drinking water separate
- Three litres weighs 3 kg
→ Use bags and newspaper
- Do not rush outside
- Switch off the breaker to leave
- Leave a 171 message on one number
→ Check official sources
Summary and checklist
Winter preparation becomes clearer when you plan around your older family members. House fires, bath accidents and snow-clearing accidents all mainly kill people aged 65 and over. Do one thing each month: checks in November, a look around your parents' home in December, 171 practice in January and care with heavy snow in February. By the end of winter you will have covered the basics.
Write down what to do in the first 30 minutes of a blackout, heavy snow, a water cut and an earthquake, and stick it on the fridge or an office wall so you can read it even if your phone battery dies.
Checklist
- The home fire alarms sound when tested and are less than 10 years old
- You have talked with older relatives about speaking up before bathing and the water temperature and time guidelines
- You have at least 3 days of water and food for everyone in the household
- Your family has agreed on one number for 171 messages and tried it once
- The car has winter equipment, and everyone knows to clear snow around the exhaust
- Family and colleagues know to unplug heaters in a blackout and not to flush the toilet in a water cut
One thing to check today
During the fire prevention campaign from 9 November, press the test button on the fire alarms at your home and your parents' home, and check the year they were installed.