On September 1, 1923, the day of the Great Kanto Earthquake, Palaceside Building held an "earthquake response drill." Mainichi Building Management conducts several earthquake, fire, and lifesaving drills yearly. Based on the "Earthquake Countermeasures Manual" and "Initial Response Manual" reviewed each time, we ran minute-by-minute scenarios including sudden orders on the day.
Drill started at 10:00 a.m., assuming magnitude 6 upper in Tokyo. Helmets under desks on; shelter under desks. After 1–2 minutes, check staff safety while watching for aftershocks. A director declared "earthquake emergency deployment"; the president heads the "Earthquake Countermeasures HQ." One-hour drill begins.
All elevators have seismic controls, but entrapments reported in East No.18 and West No.17. Escalator at Takebashi subway entrance emergency-stopped; several fell, injuries assumed.
All Mainichi Building staff, both security firms, facility technicians, and cleaners participated. Photos: security at the disaster center; technicians in central monitoring—watching the building on terminals. After elevator rescue calls and vendor notification, fire reported from a 1st-floor restaurant. Two from disaster center with extinguishers—extinguishers insufficient; indoor hydrant backup requested. Another auto-fire alarm from B1; training fires continue elsewhere.
Busy minutes pass—only 15 since the quake. Equipment patrol reports normal, but elevator rescues unfinished; minor injuries at 1F and B1 fires; first-aid kits running low—a lesson for next time.
Later: exterior brick fall, B2 leak, 10:30 aftershock magnitude 5 upper, two auto-alarms, 1F shelf collapse on customer—many cases in one hour.
From 11:00, department heads held a review. Radio interference and some conflicting information noted—all feed into the next drill.