Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed that reconstructing the earthquake-stricken area in Ishikawa prefecture is a top priority.
In a press conference, Kishida mentioned that resolving the issues brought by the earthquake in Noto, a town in Ishikawa, was one of the biggest issues for the government this year.
He said: “We need to work together to overcome the disaster and restore peaceful livelihoods, and I stand with them… We need sustained and rapid support and road repair to speed up the delivery of aid, and restore the infrastructure for life.”
He also shared his concerns over the huge number of people evacuating, with the lengthy evacuation process demanding long-term efforts. Kishida said that the emergency management headquarters were operating at full capacity.
The evacuation involved the help of 1,400 members of the defense forces and 400 policemen who participated in the search and rescue work aside from relief efforts.
The earthquake that hit Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, taking the lives of 73 people on New Year’s Day.
