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Japan’s PM visits disaster zone; government may postpone emperor’s parade

Thursday, 17 October 2019 7:42 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 17 October 2019 7:48 AM ]

A man cleans debris in the aftermath of Typhoon Hagibis in Yanagawamachi district, Date City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, on October 16, 2019. (Photo by Reuters)

Japan's prime minister on Thursday visited communities flooded by a typhoon and promised help, while media reported the government is considering postponing a parade for Emperor Naruhito's formal enthronement to focus on the disaster.

Typhoon Hagibis killed at least 77 people last week when it lashed wide swathes of Japan with heavy rain and powerful wind, setting off landslides and widespread flooding as rivers burst their banks. Ten people are missing and 346 were injured.

"We'll do everything possible to restore your lives," Abe told two elderly women at an evacuation center, getting down on his knees to talk to them as they sat on blankets on the floor.

Abe visited Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, which suffered heavy damage in the storm. Both were also hard -hit by a tsunami set off by a March 11, 2011 earthquake, which also triggered a meltdown at a nuclear power station in Fukushima.

Fukushima has seen the highest number of casualties from the typhoon, with at least 28 dead as of Thursday.

Abe said the government would spend 710 million yen (6.53 million dollars) to help with disaster relief.

PressTV-Death toll from typhoon in Japan climbs to 66

The death toll from Typhoon Hagibis in Japan rises to 66, amid diminishing hopes of finding any survivors.

Finance Minister Taro Aso has said the government had 500 billion yen in reserves for disaster recovery and would consider an extra budget if needed.

With winter approaching and some parts of Fukushima seeing below-average temperatures, concern is rising about the health of those in evacuation centers, some of whom lost everything in the floods.

The Ministry of Land and Transportation said on Thursday that levees had broken in more than 100 places, and authorities warned that with heavy rains forecast for the weekend, more flooding could occur.

The government was considering postponing the parade celebrating the emperor's Oct. 22 enthronement so it could devote attention to coping with the aftermath of the typhoon, which damaged or destroyed 1,600 houses, the state broadcaster NHK reported.

Other events connected with the enthronement are going ahead as planned, it added. There has been no announcement by the government.

Emperor Naruhito is set to proclaim his enthronement in a centuries-old ceremony attended by some 2,500 people, including heads of state and other dignitaries from nearly 200 countries.

The emperor, 59, acceded to the throne in May after his father, Akihito, became the first monarch to abdicate in two centuries.

(Source: Reuters)

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