Wedge a piece of wood 1.5 to 2 cm in thickness underneath the cupboard depending on the width of the cupboard. I had lined the shelves with new towels,rinsed once in water and dried. None of the china in my cupboard was broken in the earthquake. Wherever possible, it is better to have sliding doors.
(Famale,Itami City)

Cupboard doors were better if they had been sliding doors and not those that opened outwards. The china that had been put away servived. Tableware that were in boxes were also undamaged.
Crockery that you do not do not use often would be better boxed.
(Famale,aged 61,Higasinada Ward)

My cupboard,which was a two-section one, broke in half at the join and fell over.
The top half had expensive crockery stored in it. All of them broke. I had fixed the cupboard using attachments that came with it, but I was really sorry all my good china broke. Maybe I had not fixed it well enough.
(Female,Higasinada Ward)

Fire Deperment Advice
A cupboard becomes very heavy under the weight of the tableware contained. If it is shaken by an earthquake, unless it has been fixed with very sturdy metal fitti ngs and wood screws,the fittings will be dislodged and the cupboard will fall.