Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held an urgent press conference today addressing Monday's devastating earthquakes in western Japan, calling it "a race against time" to save lives. At least 78 people were killed in the 7.6-magnitude quake and subsequent aftershocks that reduced buildings to rubble.
🔊 Kishida pledged to "mobilize all resources" for rescue operations, comparing the effort to "an Avengers-level emergency response" amid freezing temperatures. Over 50,000 personnel from police, fire departments, and Self-Defense Forces have been deployed.
💡 Key announcements: – Priority on clearing blocked roads to reach isolated areas – Temporary shelters for 100,000 displaced residents – Special disaster designation for accelerated funding – International aid coordination through JICA
📱 The PM urged citizens to avoid non-essential travel to affected zones and follow official @JMA_quake_alerts for updates. With power outages affecting 30,000+ households, officials warned of landslide risks as snow continues to fall.
