Disaster Message Board Services

NTT as well as the three major cell phone providers (NTT Docomo, Softbank, and AU) each have an emergency message board system. This system allows those who are in a stricken area to leave either a voice (NTT) or text message (cell phones) with a central switchboard in the event of a natural disaster. This message can then be accessed by concerned family members and friends (including employers). Most of these systems are set up so that they are automatically activated during an emergency. Different companies have different guidelines as to what constitutes an emergency, and each has its own procedure and associated costs.

When a disaster occurs the phone lines almost immediately become tied up. It becomes extremely difficult for both people in the affected area and those outside of the area to check on family members and friends. These services have been set up to assist people in finding out the status of loved ones in a disaster stricken area without further overcrowding the phone lines. This leaves the lines open so that those who need immediate assistance can get in touch with emergency personnel.

NTT West Disaster Emergency Message - Dial 171

Using your NTT phone number you can record a message telling others of your current status after a disaster. The message is then stored amongst the 50 servers that NTT West has throughout the country. This system can be accessed by both land line and cellular phones. Anywhere from 1-10 messages will be stored (the amount will be determined when a disaster occurs) for up to 48 hours after you record it. For more information see http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/saun/english/

How do I create a message?
1) Dial 171
2) Press 1 to record a message
3) It will then prompt you to enter your home phone number (including area code)
4) Listen to the prompts and record your message (you have about 30 seconds)
5) Follow the prompts to save and/or re-record your message

How do other people listen to the message?
1) Dial 171
2) Press 2 to listen to a message
3) The person must then enter the NTT home phone number of the person they are trying to check on, including the area code
4) The message(s) will be played starting with the newest one

Note that NTT also has a new broadband disaster message service, which works in a similar way so that you can upload a voice or video file to the internet that can then easily be accessed from anywhere around the world. If you are in an emergency situation and need to use this service, go to this website and follow the instructions (could be Japanese only):  http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/dengon/

NTT Docomo Disaster Message Board Service

Short text messages are stored for up to 72 hours after they are registered. You are allowed to register up to 10 messages using either preset phrases or your own personal message (up to 100 Japanese or 200 alphanumeric characters). This service can be accessed by i-mode users and regular smartphone users.

How do I create a message?
1) Select Disaster Message Board from the iMenu/dmenu and click on "Register Msg"
2) Choose your preferred language (smartphone users only)
3) Select or type in your message and click on register after you are finished  
4) You should receive a confirmation that your message has been set

How do other people listen to the message?

1) For Docomo users go to iMenu, non Docomo users can access the site using their phone or a PC via  http://dengon.docomo.ne.jp/Etop.cgi 
2) Click on the Disaster Message Board and select “Confirm Msg”

Docomo also has a Disaster Voice Messaging Service that allows you to send more personal voice messages to specific phone numbers during an emergency. This service can be used by people with smartphones running Android OS 2.2 or later. In this case, you will need to download the Disaster Kit if it did not come pre-installed on your phone. Some i-mode compatible handsets can also send/receive messages.  For more information please see their website at http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/info/disaster/

Softbank Disaster Message Board Service

Up to 80 short messages are stored on a server as long as the service is active. Should you enter more than 10 messages in the given time frame, the oldest one will automatically be deleted. You can either use the preset phrases or enter your own message using up to 100 double-byte or 200 single-byte characters. You are allowed to pre-register three email addresses (phone or computer) for automatic notification prior to any disaster, giving you the option to send messages to these people rather than having them check on you. (This is in addition to the regular service.) Softbank offers a trial service allowing customers to become familiar with the system, free of charge, on the first day of every month, except in January. 

The service can be accessed using Yahoo! Keitai compatible phones, Softbank smartphones and iPhones (via the "Disaster Message Board" application, which you can download from the AppStore. For more information see http://mb.softbank.jp/scripts/english/disaster_message/index.jsp

How do I create a message?
1) From the Yahoo! Keitai top menu, click on Disaster Message Board then select “Register”
2) Select or type in your message and click on register after you are finished
3) If you have set up email addresses for automatic notification you will be directed to a page asking you if you would like to send them your message.

How do other people listen to the message?
1) For Yahoo! Keitai users, go to the Disaster Message Board; non-users can access the site via  http://dengon.softbank.ne.jp/E 
2) Choose "Confirm" 
3) The person types in your Softbank number
4) The person then will be able to choose which message he/she would like to see

AU Disaster Message Board Service

KDDI (au) allows you to store up to 10 messages for up to 72 hours. You can either use preset phrases or up to 100 double-byte characters. You are allowed to pre-register three email addresses (phone or computer) for automatic notification prior to any disaster, giving you the option to send messages to these people rather than having them check on you. (This is in addition to the regular service.) They also provide an experimental service on the 1st and 15th of each month to become familiar with the message sending/retrieval process. For more information see http://au.kddi.com/english/notice/saigai_dengon/index.html

How do I create a message?
1) Select Disaster Message Board from the EZweb / au portal top menu (Android users), then select “Register”
2) Select or type in your message and click on register after you are finished
3) If you have set up email addresses for automatic notification you will be directed to a page asking you if you would like to send them your message.

How do other people listen to the message?
1) For other au users, go to the au portal menu and select the Disaster Message Board, (non au users will need to visit  http://dengon.ezweb.ne.jp/ ) and then select “Confirm”
2) The person enters your au number
3) The person then will be able to choose which message he/she would like to see

**Note, iPhone users with au accounts, you will need to download the Disaster Message Board application from the AppStore. Please refer to this page as to how to use it http://www.au.kddi.com/iphone/service/app/dengon/index.html