Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Prime Minister Instructs Restoration of National Highway 249; Government Told at Meeting for Emergency Measures

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:03 JST, January 6, 2024

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed the government on Saturday to restore National Highway 249, which was blockaded due to damage from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, on behalf of the Ishikawa prefectural government at a meeting regarding the government’s disaster management measures held in the morning at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The prime minister told relevant ministries and agencies to do restoration work on the national route and other arterial highways damaged by the earthquake, with the focus being on the Noto Peninsula region of the prefecture.

The national route has been blocked in many places due to landslides and other causes. Though national routes and highways are usually managed by prefectural governments, the prime minister demanded that the central government respond to restoration needs in the quake-hit areas.

Kishida said, “For making isolated areas accessible again as soon as possible, I want [ministries and agencies] to urgently restore the roads and secure transportation routes.”

In addition, the prime minister called on the public to restrain from going to disaster-stricken areas by car, so that traffic of vehicles necessary for restorations of quake damages and transportation of relief goods can be prioritized.