Abe Instructs Police to Strengthen Patrols in Flood-Hit Areas

July 13, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday instructed police to strengthen patrols in areas in western Japan hit by floods and landslides to address an anticipated increase in thefts.

In past disasters in Japan such as a series of powerful earthquakes that hit the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto in 2016, houses and stores, in which owners were absent, suffered many thefts.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference that police officers in charge of motor patrols and community safety will be dispatched to the hardest-hit prefectures of Hiroshima and Okayama from outside them.

Abe, disaster management minister Hachiro Okonogi and others confirmed plans to set up a team of officials to send relief goods such as drinking water, underwear and sanitary items to disaster-hit areas. Jiji Press