Google today launched Google Public Alerts in Japan - the first international expansion of a service the company debuted last year in the United States. Google Public Alerts is a platform designed to provide emergency alerts when and where users are searching for them online.

Japan is hit by nearly 5,000 earthquakes a year, so Google says it?s important for people in Japan to have crisis preparedness and response information available at their fingertips.

Relevant earthquake and tsunami warnings for Japan will now appear on Google Search, Google Maps and Google Now when Japanese users search online during a time of crisis. If a major earthquake alert is issued in Kanagawa Prefecture, for example, the alert information will appear on users' desktops and mobile screens when they search for relevant information on Google Search and Google Maps.

The alert will also include a full description from the Japan Meteorological Agency, a link to their site, and other useful information like observed arrival times and wave heights for tsunamis.

When users open Google Now on their Android devices, recommended actions and information will be tailored to where they are.

Google plans to expand Google Public Alerts to more countries soon.