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An annual comprehensive disaster prevention drill by the Japanese Government was held on September 1, Japan's national "Disaster Prevention Day". This year, the Government's comprehensive disaster prevention drill operated on the assumption of earthquakes hitting beneath the southern Kanto region and the Tokai region. A "wide-area medical evacuation drill" was held for the first time using aircraft and other modes of transportation to move the injured from the disaster zone to hospitals outside the region, with particular emphasis on a possible Tokai earthquake. The drill began with the scenario of the arrival of first indications of an earthquake hitting the Tokai region. An extraordinary Cabinet meeting was convened after 8 a.m., at which the Government decided to issue an earthquake warning and to establish a disaster alert headquarters concerning the Tokai earthquake. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi then announced the earthquake warning to the public. Next, a meeting of the earthquake disaster warning headquarters was held with all Cabinet ministers in attendance, during which Prime Minister Koizumi held a video conference with Mr. Yoshino Ishikawa, the Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture. In the afternoon, Prime Minister Koizumi observed disaster prevention drills conducted by eight prefectures and municipalities operating on the assumption of an earthquake hitting beneath the southern Kanto region as conducted at Minami Honmoku Pier in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, as well as the Tokai Earthquake Drill in Gotenba City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The drills included evacuation drills by local residents, search-and-rescue drills for rescue dogs, as well as drills for rescue from collapsed housing, mid- and high-rise buildings and cars. At the closing ceremony of the disaster prevention drill held in Gotenba, Prime Minister Koizumi said, "I feel reassured to see the part of disaster prevention drills. Relying merely on the experts cannot lead to a regional construction with capacity to cope with a disaster. It is important for every one of you to manifest in your daily lives preparedness for disaster prevention. I would like you to keep the meaning of these training in your mind and concert efforts to help develop a safe region."