Japan to accept earthquake relief from US only

Four days after an earthquake on the Noto peninsula killed ninety-one people and drove thousands more to flee, the daily Nikkei reported on Friday that Japan planned to accept a rescue team from the United States but no help from other governments.
According to the Nikkei story, the US and Japan are debating how and when to send US soldiers to the Noto peninsula.
“We are not accepting any personnel or material aid at the moment given the situation on the ground and the efforts that would be required to receive them,” Japan’s top spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday.
He continued by saying he wouldn’t remark on the conversations that had occurred with the US.
Taiwanese and Chinese governments have sent sympathy messages and offers of assistance, according to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Rescue crews are finding it difficult to get severely affected regions because of damaged roads and infrastructure, making it unknown how many people were killed and how much damage was caused by the New Year’s Day earthquake.
However, the tragedy is probably the worst since 2016 and could be the worst since a powerful earthquake and tsunami rocked Japan’s east coast in 2011, given that over 200 people are still missing.
The US armed forces were deeply involved in disaster relief efforts in the 2011 earthquake, providing over 24,000 personnel with 24 ships and 189 aircraft.
“We may receive assistance in the future, but nothing has been decided at this time,” a spokesperson for Japan’s Ministry of Defence told Reuters on Friday.
The US forces have about 54,000 personnel in Japan, making Japan the host of the biggest US military presence abroad, according to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
At least 100 hectares (247 acres) of land also appears to be flooded from a tsunami triggered by the earthquake, the daily Asahi newspaper reported citing Japan’s transport ministry.
“We still don’t have a full picture, and it’s likely that the area flooded by the tsunami could spread,” an unnamed transport ministry official said according to the report.

This data comes from MediaIntel.Asia's Media Intelligence and Media Monitoring Platform.