Tuesday is Disaster Prevention Day in Japan. The government staged a drill based on the scenario of a massive earthquake striking the Japan and Chishima trenches.
September 1 commemorates the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, which left more than 100,000 people dead and missing in and around Tokyo.
This year’s drill assumed a magnitude 8.3 quake had occurred off the coast of the Tokachi region in Hokkaido, northern Japan. The assumption was that the tremors registered intensities of upper 6 to 7 on the country’s scale of 0 to 7 in Hokkaido and Aomori Prefecture, with major tsunami warnings issued along the Pacific Coast.
Cabinet ministers and officials gathered at the Prime Minister’s Office, established an emergency disaster task force around 8:10 a.m. and confirmed their response. They held video conferences with officials in Hokkaido and Aomori Prefecture and in Kushiro City in Hokkaido.
Hokkaido Governor Suzuki Naomichi briefed the ministers about supposed major damage from the tremor and tsunami and said that residents were isolated in some areas. The governor and ministers confirmed how they should cooperate and respond.
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae then held a mock news conference to explain the government response. She called on the public to evacuate to a safe location, stay calm and not hoard essentials.
Various drills were held in other parts of the country. Tokyo, three neighboring prefectures and five designated major cities held a joint drill in Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
The Cabinet Office is calling on people to mark the day by being aware of risks in their communities and confirming what preparations are needed.