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The annual comprehensive disaster prevention drills for 2014 were held on September 1, Japan's National Disaster Prevention Day. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took part in the drills together with all Cabinet members.
This year, the drills were conducted based on a scenario in which a Tokyo Inland Earthquake occurred at 7:10 a.m., with a magnitude of 7.3, a maximum seismic intensity of 7, and its epicenter in Tokyo’s 23 wards.
As part of the drills, the Prime Minister walked to the assembling point at the Prime Minister’s Office, and held the first meeting of the Emergency Disaster Response Headquarters and an extraordinary Cabinet meeting. Afterwards, the Prime Minister held a press conference to explain the overview of the earthquake and the status of the Government's response, and to give a message to the people.
Then, the Prime Minister led a government inspection team to the venue in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture where the joint disaster prevention drills were being conducted by the nine municipalities in the Kanto region. At the civilian drill area, the Prime Minister observed a food distribution drill, an emergency relief drill using slings, and an emergency relief drill using an AED, among others.
Lastly, the Prime Minister said in his address at the closing ceremony of the drills,
“It is of great significance that disaster prevention day drills of this magnitude were held today with the participation of approximately 140 organizations and 10,000 people, including the local people of Sagamihara City and Kanagawa Prefecture, as well as the police, the fire department, the Japan Coast Guard, the Self-Defense Forces, TEC-FORCE, DMAT, and members of the private sector.
Many people voluntarily and wholeheartedly participated in today’s drills, including approximately 1,700 elementary and junior high school students, on which the future of Japan rests, and approximately 900 people from the voluntary disaster prevention organizations that are central to regional disaster prevention.
It is important that each and every person stands ready and prepares against disasters in order for everyone to protect their own lives. I would like to ask relevant organizations and community members to ensure on a regular basis that preparations have been made against disasters by deepening understanding about the activities that each person should carry out themselves during times of disaster, as well as understanding about each other’s respective activities, through practical drills like the ones conducted today.
In recent years, there has been a spate of damage wreaked by heavy rainfall and landslides in each region, including the large-scale landslides that occurred in Hiroshima. Regardless of the location, the natural conditions of Japan make the country prone to disasters, such as earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy rains.
In order to protect people's lives and property, the Government will prepare against other major disasters, including Tokyo Inland Earthquakes, which are feared to occur in the future. We will constantly revise disaster prevention measures, and continue to take steps to make all of Japan disaster-resilient.
In closing today, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all relevant people, including the people of Sagamihara City and the people of Kanagawa Prefecture who cooperated with the drills, as well as the U.S. Military, from whom we also received cooperation.”