Japan’s PM cancels trip after earthquake risk warning
Japan’s prime minister has cancelled plans to visit central Asia and will spearhead precautionary measures instead following an unprecedented warning that the risk of a major Pacific coast earthquake is higher than usual.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued on Thursday its first-ever warning of the risk of a huge earthquake on the country’s Pacific coast following a powerful one of magnitude 7.1 that struck the southwestern island of Kyushu the same day.
“I have decided to stay in the country for the next week or so to ensure our preparations and communications are in order,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a news conference on Friday, although the warning did not give a time frame or call for evacuations.
“But it is the first time it is issued and I believe people would be feeling anxious about it.
“Consequently, I have decided to cancel my planned visit to Central Asia and Mongolia.”
The government might seek to hold the meetings with regional leaders online instead, according to public broadcaster NHK.
The visit to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia was originally set to run from Friday to Monday.
Japanese authorities continued to assess damage from Thursday’s quake off the southern coast, which sparked a tsunami alert of waves up to one metre.
Waves of 50cm were observed on Kyushu’s coast and the nearby island of Shikoku, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
At least 13 people were injured in the quake and there were reports of houses and walls collapsing.
The meteorological agency’s advisory warns of a higher probability of a huge earthquake in the Nankai trough, an ocean-floor trench running along Japan’s Pacific coast, where previous quakes have triggered enormous tsunamis.
It did not indicate a quake would definitely happen but encouraged people to be ready to leave if necessary.
Japan estimates at 70 per cent to 80 per cent the probability of an earthquake of magnitude 8.0 or 9.0 happening around the trough in the next 30 years, according to the infrastructure ministry.
with AP and EFE
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