Airbnb has announced a disaster preparedness initiative in Japan, coordinated with Airbnb.org and local not-for-profit organizations. This program aims to provide emergency housing across all 47 prefectures during natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
Utilizing its network of hosts and the crisis response expertise of Airbnb.org, a nonprofit providing emergency housing during crises, Airbnb plans to activate temporary housing within 24 hours anywhere in Japan through this initiative.
This is Airbnb’s first global preemptive disaster preparedness program. It builds on years of experience to enable faster support when disasters occur. The program also extends previous efforts by Airbnb.org in Japan, including assistance for Ishikawa Prefecture and RCF after the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
Airbnb.org has established local response programs with nonprofit partners like Peace Boat Disaster Relief Center, Japan Platform, and Peace Winds Japan. These partnerships will facilitate emergency housing logistics for survivors and medical personnel, ensuring quick deployment 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.
Founded by Airbnb in 2020, Airbnb.org connects people needing emergency housing with hosts willing to share their space using the Airbnb platform. All donations go directly toward providing free emergency housing. Since its inception, Airbnb.org has provided 1.6 million nights of temporary housing to over 250,000 people globally.
Recently, the organization supported communities affected by wildfires in South Korea and Los Angeles; Cyclone Alfred in Australia; floods in Brazil; and an earthquake impacting Thailand.