J-Alert
J-Alert is a nationwide warning system in Japan launched in February 2007. It is designed to quickly inform the public of various threats, including natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes; but also of military threats such as North Korean missiles and terrorist attacks. The system was developed in the hope that early warnings would speed up evacuation times and help coordinate emergency response.
The System
J-Alert is a satellite based system that allows authorities to quickly broadcast alerts to local media and to citizens directly via system of loud speakers. According to Japanese officials it takes about 1 second to inform local officials, and between 4 and 20 seconds to relay the message to citizens.
Adoption Rate
Unfortunately many prefectures and urban areas have been slow to adopt the system. Upon its introduction the Japanese government hoped to have 80% of the country equipped with the J-Alert system by 2009. However, under current plans, by 2011 only 36% of the nation will have been covered. Cost has been a major factor. The initial installation estimate is estimated to be around 430 million yen, and the yearly maintenance is estimated to be around 10 million yen. Local governments have been hesitant to cut other services to implement the system.