Japan government speeding up rescue, recovery efforts after typhoon

October 13, 2019

Tokyo--The Japanese government is boosting efforts to rescue people affected by powerful Typhoon Hagibis, which struck the country Saturday to Sunday, and restore infrastructure.

At a meeting of related cabinet ministers on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed a plan to set up an emergency disaster response headquarters, noting that damage from the 19th typhoon of this year has been widespread.

He instructed participating ministers to work on fully grasping the extent of the typhoon damage while putting top priority on saving the lives of affected people.

Abe reported to the meeting that police officers, firefighters, Japan Coast Guard personnel and 27,000 Self-Defense Forces troops are engaged in search and rescue operations. The number of rescue personnel will be increased if needed, he added. Abe also vowed to make all-out efforts to restore infrastructure such as water and electricity supply, and public transport networks as early as possible.

The prime minister instructed teams led by relevant ministers, such as disaster management minister Ryota Takeda and land minister Kazuyoshi Akaba, to visit prefectures affected by the typhoon, including Saitama, north of Tokyo, Nagano in central Japan and Fukushima in northeastern Japan, to gather information.

At a press conference after the meeting, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the governors of Tokyo and seven prefectures--Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Nagano and Shizuoka--have asked the government to send SDF personnel to help them with disaster relief activities.

In a related move, Defense Minister Taro Kono on Sunday announced the cancellation of a Maritime SDF fleet review, planned for Monday in Sagami Bay in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, as the SDF is focusing on the search and rescue mission. Kono unveiled the decision during talks with reporters.

The fleet review event is held every three years in principle, where Japan's prime minister and others give addresses, and planes and vessels from the SDF and the militaries of other countries are displayed.

This year, seven countries, including China, had been scheduled to take part in the event. Jiji Press