A national plan has been finalized to carry out rescue operations and deliver relief supplies in the areas affected by the huge earthquakes expected in the Kuril Trench and Japan Trench off the coast of Hokkaido and Iwate Prefecture. In particular, assistance from all over the country will begin immediately, mainly in the northern Japan, where enormous damage is occurring, without waiting for requests from the affected areas.
On the 23rd, the government's Central Disaster Prevention Council compiled a plan for emergency activities in response to the huge earthquakes and tsunamis expected in the Kuril Trench and Japan Trench from Hokkaido to Iwate Prefecture at a board meeting made up of executives from relevant ministries and agencies.
As a result, in addition to securing emergency transportation routes, we have set a timeline of action goals called "timelines" for seven items: ▽ unit operations such as rescue and fire extinguishing, ▽ medical activities, ▽ transportation of relief supplies, ▽ fuel supply, ▽ electricity and gas, and ▽ communications.
Of these, up to about 7,72 people from the police, fire departments, and Self-Defense Forces will be dispatched from all over Japan to Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures, where particularly severe damage is expected.
Especially in winter, severe cold and snow accumulation are expected, so snow removal on emergency transportation roads will be systematically carried out, the situation will be reported, and winter tires and other equipment will be prepared for each unit dispatched.
In Hokkaido, which is difficult to travel by land, we plan to use civilian ferries and airplanes to deliver life-saving units with the highest priority.
In addition to water and food, relief supplies such as blankets, portable toilets, and sanitary products will be procured and transported by the national government and related industries without waiting for requests from the affected areas, so that they will reach bases in the affected areas by the third day after the outbreak, when stockpiles may be depleted, and provide support for supplies specialized for cold regions, such as warm clothing and heating appliances.
The national government plans to conduct wide-area drills based on this plan within the fiscal year.