Disaster Vending Machines

Warm Up

1. Where do you buy drinks?

2. Do you have lots of cash in your wallet?

3. Do you go to the store everyday?
   

Reading

Disaster Vending Machines Introduced in Japan

As a new way to prepare for natural disasters, Japan has introduced vending machines that will offer free food and drinks after a disaster. Created by Japanese company Earth Corporation, the machines are believed to be the first disaster vending machines in Japan. Two were already put in the city of Ako, in Hyogo prefecture, in March this year. Ako is about 75 kilometers west of Kobe, where a large earthquake in 1995 killed more than 6,400 people.

Earth Corporation told The Mainichi that the machines will help make people safer, and it hopes to put more disaster vending machines across Japan. There are nearly 4 million vending machines across Japan. This means that there is about one vending machine for every 31 people in the country.

The machines have around 300 bottles and cans of drinks, and 150 emergency food items. A locker attached to each machine, above the recycling box, also has other emergency items such as face masks and portable toilets. Most days, the machines can be used as normal vending machines. But when a disaster happens, the machines will unlock, allowing people to take the items for free.

According to the shindo scale, which goes up to 7, an earthquake measuring upper 5 can make large furniture fall. Earthquakes of this size happen two to five times a year on average in Japan. Japan is one of the countries most affected by earthquakes, with around 1,500 happening there each year.

Reading Comprehension

1. Where were the first disaster vending machines placed?

2. Under what circumstances will the vending machines unlock?

3. How many earthquakes hit Japan each year?

Discussion Questions

1. What are your thoughts on Japan's disaster vending machines?

2. Would you like to have disaster vending machines installed in your town or city?

3. Are there a lot of vending machines in your neighborhood?

4. Why do you think there are so many vending machines in Japan?

5. What's the weirdest or most interesting thing you've seen in a vending machine?

6. What's the first thing you do when you feel an earthquake?

7. When was the last time you experienced an earthquake? How strong was it?

8. What natural disasters are most likely to occur in your town or city?

9. Do you have an emergency kit in your home? What does it include?

10. In your opinion, how well does your government respond to natural disasters?