Japan's Assistance to Indonesia for Earthquake Disaster off the Coast of Sumatra

March 29, 2005

Taking account of the seriousness of the disaster caused by an earthquake that took place before dawn on March 29 (Japan time) off the coast of Sumatra, the Government of Japan decided today (March 29) to extend to the Government of Indonesia emergency grant assistance in kind equivalent to a total of about 15 million yen (tents, blankets, electricity generators, and sleeping mats) and also to dispatch an 11-member Japan Disaster Relief Medical Team. The Medical Team will leave Japan on March 30.
At around 01:10 on March 29 (23:10 on March 28, local time), a large-scale 8.5-magnitude earthquake, with its seismic center about 200-km off the coast of Sumatra and about 30-km deep, took place and is reported to have caused a great disaster centering on Nias Island, North Sumatra Province.
The Government of Indonesia has dispatched ministers in charge, an emergency medical team and emergency relief goods to the disaster-hit areas. As the disaster is feared to expand, it has requested the above-mentioned assistance from Japan.
The Government of Japan has decided on this emergency assistance from the humanitarian viewpoint, taking account of the seriousness of the disaster and the friendly relations between Japan and Indonesia.

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