Announcing our nationwide disaster preparedness program in Japan
Key Takeaways
- Developed in consultation with local NGOs, Airbnb will activate emergency housing within 24 hours of a disaster across all 47 prefectures.
- Building on years of response experience through its support of Airbnb.org, the independent nonprofit founded by Airbnb, this initiative is Airbnb’s first preemptive disaster program globally, to deliver faster, more coordinated support when disaster strikes.
Key Takeaways
- Developed in consultation with local NGOs, Airbnb will activate emergency housing within 24 hours of a disaster across all 47 prefectures.
- Building on years of response experience through its support of Airbnb.org, the independent nonprofit founded by Airbnb, this initiative is Airbnb’s first preemptive disaster program globally, to deliver faster, more coordinated support when disaster strikes.
Airbnb, in coordination with Airbnb.org and several local not-for-profit organizations, has announced a proactive disaster preparedness initiative to provide emergency housing across all 47 prefectures in the event of major natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
Drawing on its extensive network of hosts and with the crisis response expertise of Airbnb.org – a nonprofit that provides emergency housing in times of crisis – Airbnb aims to activate temporary housing within 24 hours anywhere in the country through this initiative.
This marks Airbnb’s first globally preemptive disaster preparedness program, building years of experience to enable faster, more coordinated support when disaster strikes. It also builds on Airbnb.org’s previous disaster response efforts in Japan, including support for Ishikawa Prefecture and local nonprofit RCF to house evacuees after the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
As part of the proactive framework, Airbnb.org has established local response programs with nonprofit partners across Japan, including Peace Boat Disaster Relief Center, Japan Platform, and Peace Winds Japan. These partnerships will support emergency housing logistics not only for survivors, but also for medical and emergency personnel, ensuring that emergency housing can be deployed quickly and effectively nationwide.
“In moments of crisis, access to emergency housing can provide a lifeline — creating a foundation for recovery. Time and again, we’ve seen that early, coordinated response makes a meaningful difference. We are grateful for our local NPO partners to help strengthen disaster response efforts in local communities and support displaced individuals, and honored to be able to play a role in this important preparatory work,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky.
“Earlier today, we paid a courtesy visit to Minister Manabu Sakai, the Minister of State for Disaster Management, and briefed him on this initiative. Minister Sakai expressed his support and welcomed our efforts,” added Chesky.
Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization founded by Airbnb that connects people to emergency housing in times of crisis. Airbnb.org uses the Airbnb platform to connect people who need a place to stay with Airbnb hosts willing to share theirs. 100% of all donations go directly to providing emergency housing in times of crisis, making all Airbnb.org stays completely free. Since its founding in 2020, Airbnb.org has provided 1.6 million nights of free, temporary housing to more than 250,000 people globally.
Most recently, the organization has supported communities displaced by wildfires in South Korea and Los Angeles; Cyclone Alfred in Australia; floods in Brazil; and the earthquake impacting Thailand.