Great East Japan Earthquake

Announcements / Japan foreign policy update

Keynote Address by H.E. Mr. Yutaka Banno State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan at the 8th Japan-Singapore Symposium (April 25, 2011)
Speech by Mr. Chiaki Takahashi, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, at Kyiv Summit on Safe and Innovative Use of Nuclear Energy (April 19, 2011)

Japan foreign policy update

Reconstruction Design Council Recommends Means of Rebuilding Northeastern Japan Areas Hit by Disasters(July 12, 2011)
Overview of the 4th Japan-China-ROK Summit Meeting(May 27, 2011)
Roadmaps for Bringing Nuclear Power Station Accident under Control Revised; Goal of Settlement in 6-9 Months Retained(May 20, 2011)
Japan Starts Attestation of Radiation Measurement for Outgoing Containers and Ships (April 27, 2011)
Roadmap for Settling the Situation at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (April 21, 2011)
The Accident at the TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station Reassessed to be Level 7 on INES but substantially different from the Chernobyl accident (April 20, 2011)
Safe to Eat Fishery Products in Marketplace Now Radionuclides Accumulation Seen Having Only Limited Effects on Fish (April 8, 2011)
How Japan is Acting to Ensure Safety of Farm Produce Exports Providing Accurate Information; No Need for Curbs on Travel to Japan (April 4, 2011)

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Current situation and the Government of Japan's response

1. Outlines

Overview of the earthquake disaster and the Government of Japan's response

(1) Around 14:46 on March 11, a massive earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 struck Sanriku Coast, Japan. The ensuing tsunami swept across many cities and villages along the Pacific coast of the Tohoku district, causing tremendous human and structural damage. In Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, tsunami waves of over 8.5 meters high (maximum) were observed. Tokyo also observed tremors with a seismic intensity of 5-strong, but damage there was relatively modest. On April 7, an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 occurred, with its epicenter off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture. On April 11, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck, with its epicenter in the Hamadori area, Fukushima Prefecture.
(2) Immediately after the earthquake, the Government of Japan set up its emergency headquarters with former Prime Minister Kan at the helm, making all-out efforts for search and rescue, assisting evacuees, and reconstructing various lifelines, in liaison with all government bodies and local governments. Efforts have also been being made by the whole government to support the early recovery of people's lives and economic activity. On March 17, for example, the Cabinet Office set up the Headquarters for Special Measures to Assist the Lives of Disaster Victims. On April 11, the Cabinet decided to assemble the Reconstruction Design Council in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake.
(3) Sympathies have been expressed and assistance offered from around the world. So far, rescue teams, medical assistance teams, and disaster relief teams from 23 countries and regions as well as the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have arrived Japan and have been in operation. Also, the U.S. Forces in Japan are extending assistance.
(4) The earthquake and tsunami resulted in emergency situations including failure of the reactor-cooling systems in TEPCO(Tokyo Electric Power Company)'s nuclear power stations in Fukushima Prefecture. Responses have been taken with regards to these situations. (For more information, please refer to Ensuring safety of nuclear power stations.)
(5) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has been undertaking coordination with respect to acceptance of foreign rescue teams, etc., communication with the diplomatic corps and the foreign press corps, and confirmation of the safety of foreign nationals, among other measures. Japan's overseas missions are accepting relief money from private organizations, etc., of foreign countries.
(6) On April 1, the Government of Japan decided, in the form of a Cabinet approval, to use the name "Great East Japan Earthquake" to refer collectively to the disasters due to the Tohoku - Pacific Ocean Earthquake on March 11, 2011 and the resultant nuclear plant accidents.
(7) On April 4, three high-ranking MOFA officials visited four prefectures affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, with former State Secretary Chiaki Takahashi going to Iwate, former Parliamentary Vice-Minister Makiko Kikuta to Miyagi, and former Parliamentary Vice-Minister Hisashi Tokunaga to Fukushima and Tochigi for purpose of the Ministry's future activities in the wake of the quake. On April 23, former Minister Matsumoto visited Minami-Sanrikucho, Miyagi Prefecture, along with Prime Minister Gillard of Australia, who was visiting Japan, to encourage those who suffered from the disaster. On May 10, former Parliamentary Vice-Minister Kikuta visited Fukushima Prefecture.
On May 11, former Minister Matsumoto hosted a "Thank-You Gathering" at Iikura Kokan, inviting members of the diplomatic corps and international institutions stationed in Tokyo, and those working on assistance activities including NGO personnel, etc.
On May 21, when the leaders of China and South Korea, who were in Japan to attend the Fourth Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit Meeting, visited the afflicted areas and evacuation centers in Sendai City and Fukushima Prefecture, former Minister Matsumoto accompanied them. (click here for the summary of the Fourth Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit Meeting.)
(8) On June 25, the 12th meeting of the Reconstruction Design Council in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake was held. At the meeting, a report of recommendations entitled, "Towards Reconstruction - Hope beyond the Disaster," was adopted and handed to former Prime Minister Naoto Kan by Dr. Makoto Iokibe, Chair of the Council.
(9) The Reconstruction Headquarters in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake was established pursuant to the Basic Act on Reconstruction, which was put into force on June 24. The Headquarters announced the outline of the Basic Policy for Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the finalized Basic Policy for Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake on July 21 and 29, respectively.

2. Damages

(1) The earthquake and tsunami devastated Tohoku and other regions. Damages were inflicted in Kanto district, too. The number of deaths is 15,829, the number of injured is 5,943, and the number of missing is 3,725 (as of October 26 according to the National Police Agency). The number of those evacuated is 65,753 (as of October 11 at 17:00 according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency).
(2) Power, gas, and water supplies were disrupted in many areas, mostly in the Tohoku region. Roads, railways, airports and other infrastructure were also severely damaged. Almost all roads have been reopened, including the Tohoku Expressway, most of the Joban Expressway as well as national highways. Railways are also back in operation. On April 29, services were resumed at all sections of the Tohoku Shinkansen Line. Sendai Airport resumed operations from April 13 and normalized domestic flight operations on July 25. About 53 percent of the 21 ports in prefectures along the Pacific coast, from Aomori all the way down to Ibaraki, have already been restored. Progress has also been made in the construction of temporary housing, allowing evacuation centers in Iwate Prefecture to be closed by the end of August. The whole nation has been working towards rehabilitation.

3. Sympathies from countries and regions around the world

(1) Many sympathies, as well as expressions of solidarity, have been offered from countries and regions around the world as well as international organizations, including in the form of video-messages (YouTube United Nations Videos).
(2) Prime Minister Noda and Minister for Foreign Affairs Gemba have been providing information on the disaster and have expressed the appreciation of the Japanese government for the support by the countries through talks with dignitaries from those countries or at international conferences.
Former Prime Minister Kan had telephone talks with President Obama of the United States, President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea, Prime Minister Gillard of Australia, President Medvedev of Russia, Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations, President Sarkozy of France, President Van Rompuy of the European Council, Prime Minister Singh of India, Prime Minister Cameron of the United Kingdom, Chancellor Merkel of Germany, and Premier Wen of China. Former Prime Minister Kan also had talks with visiting President Sarkozy of France, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, ROK President Lee Myung-bak, President Gnassingbe of Togo, President Yudhoyono of Indonesia and Vice President Biden of the United States, and a working dinner with Prime Minister Gillard of Australia, and received a courtesy call from Director General Amano of the IAEA, Secretary of State Clinton of the United States, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Nkoana-Mashabane of South Africa, Permanent Member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party Sang of the Viet Nam Central Committee, Senator Inouye of the United States, Prime Minister Puna of the Cook Islands, Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu of the ROK Democratic Party, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Naryshkin of Russia, Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations and others.

In addition, former Prime Minister Kan visited France and Belgium to attend the G8 Summit 2011 in Deauville, and had talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, President Sarkozy of France, Prime Minister Harper of Canada, President Obama of the United States, Prime Minister Cameron of the United Kingdom, Chancellor Merkel of Germany and President Medvedev of Russia. On the occasion of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Follow-up Meeting in Tokyo, former Prime Minister Kan received a courtesy call from three dignitaries of the co-organizers: United Nations Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark, United Nations Children's Fund Executive Director Anthony Lake, and World Bank Managing Director Mahmoud Mohieldin.
(3) Minister for Foreign Affairs Gemba had a talk with Foreign Minister Holguin of Columbia, and also telephone talks with Secretary of State Clinton of the United States, Foreign Minister Rudd of Australia, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Hague of the United Kingdom, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi of China, Foreign Minister Lavrov of Russia and Foreign Minister Marty of Indonesia, and expressed the appreciation of the Japanese government for the country's support.
As shown below, former Minister for Foreign Affairs Matsumoto released the information on the disaster and expressed the appreciation of the Japanese government for their support in speaking opportunities such as meetings with foreign dignitaries and international conferences.

August:	First Vice Prime-Minister Babanov of Kyrgyz Republic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations, Quebec Premier Charest of Canada, Commissioner-General Grandi of the UNRWA.
July:	Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Vice President Xi Jinping and State Councilor Dai Bingguo of China, the three co-Chairs of the Transitional Committee for the design of the Green Climate Fund, Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, the 12th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Japan-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Foreign Minister Rudd of Australia, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario of the Philippines, Foreign Minister Baird of Canada, the 18th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting, Secretary of State Clinton of the United States, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Zandanshatar of Mongolia, Director General Amano of the IAEA.
June:	Foreign Secretary Espinosa of Mexico, Permanent Member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party Sang of the Viet Nam Central Committee, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Follow-up Meeting, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Clark, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Nkoana-Mashabane of South Africa, the Fourth Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the V4 countries and Japan ("V4+Japan"), Foreign Minister Martonyi of Hungary, Foreign Minister Wanna Maung Lwin of Myanmar, External Affairs Minister Krishna of India, Foreign Minister Shanmugam of Singapore, the Tenth ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM 10), Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario of the Philippines, President of the Chamber of Deputies Ramirez of Mexico, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Hassan of Jordan, President Gnassingbe and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ohin of Togo, Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag Kauder, new ROK ambassador to Japan Shin Kak-soo, Prime Minister Puna of the Cook Islands, President Yudhoyono and Foreign Minister Marty of Indonesia, Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee (2+2), Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore, the 41st Mercosur Summit Meeting, President Lugo of Paraguay, Foreign Minister Moreno of Chile, Minister of External Relations Patriota of Brazil.
May:	The Third TICAD Ministerial Follow-up Meeting, Japan-EU Economic Ministerial Meeting, Prime Minister Leterme of the Kingdom of Belgium, President Barroso of the European Commission, Commissioner Dalli of the European Commission, Secretary General Rasmussen of NATO, Commissioner Barnier of the European Commission, Prime Minister Cameron of the United Kingdom, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-hwan of the ROK, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi of China, Foreign Minister Kefi of Tunisia, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai of Viet Nam. Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia, Foreign Minister McCully of New Zealand, Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Ferreyros of Peru.
April:	Foreign Minister Westerwelle of Germany (twice), Foreign Minister McCully of New Zealand, The Special ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Foreign Minister Marty of Indonesia, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya of Thailand, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong of Cambodia, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario of the Philippines, Mr. Phongsavath Boupha, Minister to the Presidential Palace of Laos), Foreign Minister Timerman of Argentina, Foreign Minister Patriota of Brazil, Secretary of State Clinton of the United States (twice), Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Nkoana-Mashabane of South Africa, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Asselborn of Luxembourg, Secretary General Gurria of the OECD, Prime Minister Gillard of Australia, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration Polye of Papua New Guinea, Minister of State for International Cooperation@Al-Attiyah of Qatar, Minister of Foreign Affairs Milososki of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Foreign Minister Rudd of Australia, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah of the United Arab Emirates.
March:	Foreign Secretary Hague of the United Kingdom, Secretary of State Clinton of the United States (three times), Foreign Minister Rudd of Australia, Foreign Minister McCully of New Zealand, Foreign Minister Lavrov of Russia, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union (EU) Ashton, Foreign Minister Juppe of France, Foreign Minister Patriota of Brazil, Director General Amano of the IAEA, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-hwan of the ROK, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi of China, Foreign Minister Marty of Indonesia.

4. Emergency assistance from overseas countries and regions

(1) So far 163 countries and regions as well as 43 international organizations have expressed their intentions to extend assistance.
(2) So far, rescue, medical support and disaster relief teams from 24 countries and regions (Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, the ROK, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, the U.K., the U.S.), as well as the UNDAC team, the UNOCHA, FAO, an IAEA expert team, and the WFP have arrived Japan and have been operating in disaster-stricken areas. (The list includes countries and regions which have already left the site.) Surveys have been conducted by UN organizations and other institutions related to disaster relief. Japan has received relief goods and donations from countries and regions throughout the world, as well as from international organizations.
(3) On the evening of March 11, former Foreign Minister Matsumoto formally requested U.S. Ambassador Roos for the assistance of the U.S. Forces in Japan. U.S. Forces have been conducting large-scale aid activities (Operation Tomodachi), with about 20 ships and about 160 aircraft as well as over 20,000 personnel (at their peak). (More information)
(4) Australia's C17 aircraft has been providing transportation assistance in Japan, and urgently transported a special pump needed for cooling TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant from Australia.
(5) Medical relief teams from around the world have carried out operations in Japan.
(6) Japan's overseas missions are accepting relief money for this earthquake. As of February 29, 2012, a total of about 8.9 billion yen has been received (the figure represents the sum converted into yen at official exchange rates). The aggregate amount received at Japan's overseas missions does not represent the total relief money from the countries and regions concerned; donations of relief money are also made directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society or through local red cross and red crescent societies, as well as through many other channels. Relief money received at Japan's overseas missions is sent, via the Japanese Red Cross Society and other organizations, to local public entities, which in turn distribute the relief money among the affected people. NGOs, private companies and individuals around the world have extended or offered numerous donations and/or assistance. At least 43 NGOs from 16 countries are known to have arrived in Japan to date.
The Japan Platform (JPF) , a Japanese NGO, has announced that it will act as a point of contact for overseas NGOs' relief operations in Japan, in collaboration with the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC) . Japanese NGOs for international cooperation that belong to the JPF are engaged in relief activities in the afflicted areas.

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