Noto Peninsula Earthquake

1,000 Ground Self-Defense Force Personnel Begin Rescue Operations in Affected Areas of Noto Peninsula Earthquake

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:56 JST, January 2, 2024

The government said Tuesday that about 1,000 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel have arrived in the affected areas of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred in Ishikawa Prefecture the previous day and began full-scale rescue operations. According to the government, the SDF have mobilized about 10,000 personnel. A total of 18 aircrafts and helicopters have been deployed, while a destroyer warship carrying relief supplies also departed for the Noto Peninsula on Monday evening.

At a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida clarified the situation of the affected areas, saying, “Since dawn [on Tuesday], many collapsed houses have been confirmed. We are currently trying to confirm the number of damaged houses and related human casualties.”

Kishida added, “We have not yet received a consolidated report [on damages].” Kishida also stated that more information on large-scale damage, including human casualties, fires and collapsed buildings, is becoming available.