Message from the Foreign Minister

In response to the flooding that occurred in Raswa District in central Nepal and Shigatse City in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China on August 26 (local time), I offer my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and extend my heartfelt sympathy to all those affected.

Following an announcement by the Government of Nepal on August 26 that Japanese nationals are among those missing, at 11:00 p.m. JST on the same day, we set up an on-site response headquarters in Nepal headed by Mr. MAEDA Toru, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, and a response office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by the Director-General of the Consular Bureau, and have started taking immediate action. I have instructed the dispatch of personnel from the Emergency Response Team (ERT) to spare no effort in saving Japanese nationals’ lives.

Japan expresses its strong solidarity with all those affected by this disaster and is urgently proceeding with necessary measures.