Japan PM Kishida 'open to altering legislation if needed' to prevent earthquake casualties

After disaster specialists in Japan cautioned about a high death toll in the scenario of a major earthquake striking the nation's north and northeast, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated on Tuesday that the nation's legislation can be altered if required to safeguard public safety. During a press conference when the Prime Minister was asked about the specialists' forecast, Kishida said, “Ensuring the safety of people and their property is the most important task for the authorities. If something is needed to reach this goal, we are ready to provide it, even if the legislation has to be amended,” ANI reported. 

Further answering the question, Fumio Kishida said that he would double-check everything that is required and what has to be performed. These comments of the Prime Minister came after the Japanese government's Central Disaster Management Council predicted that a tsunami triggered by a magnitude of 9.1 to 9.3 earthquake could kill up to 1,99,000 people, with an additional 42,000 people dying from hypothermia even though they survived the wave.  

Central Disaster Management Council's prediction on above 9 magnitude earthquake

The scientists found that if authorities initiate evacuation within 10 minutes after earthquakes, the number of people killed may be reduced by 80%. Further, the Disaster Management Council also revealed that apart from the majority of the deaths caused by the tsunami, a total of 220,000 structures might be damaged if the quake hits along the Japan Trench. The total economic impact on the area and the country might be over 31.3 trillion yen which is nearly $275.4 billion, as per Kyodo News. 

Furthermore, in a prior report from 2006, it was anticipated that up to 2,700 people may perish in the case of a major earthquake. However, a severe quake with a magnitude of 9 or greater jolting the region was not considered in the calculation, Kyodo News reported.   

Japan is situated in an active seismic zone known as the Ring of Fire, where large earthquakes occur on a regular basis. A magnitude 9 earthquake struck Japan's northeast coast in March 2011, followed by a tsunami. Over 22,000 people died as a result of the disaster, the great majority of them were killed by the tsunami. After the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the Japanese government has been revising its disaster management protocols.  

(Image: AP/ Representative Image)