Japan aims to reduce estimated deaths from megaquake by 80%
Japan's government has set goals for reducing the estimated death toll and structural damage from an anticipated massive earthquake occurring in the Nankai Trough off the country's Pacific coast.
The government in 2014 set disaster mitigation goals that called for reducing the death toll by about 80 percent and structural damage by about 50 percent.
But a new damage estimate released in March this year said 298,000 people could be killed and 2.35 million buildings destroyed in the worst-case scenario. The figures fall short of the disaster mitigation goals.
The government has been reviewing its basic plan on disaster preparedness measures, based on the new damage estimate.
Sources say the goals set in 2014 remain largely unchanged, with a roughly 80-percent cut in the death toll and a roughly 50-percent cut in structural damage to be attained over the next decade.
The government will also make homes more quake-resistant, promote the installation of quake-sensitive circuit breakers, and step up tangible disaster preparedness measures such as building embankments.
It will confirm progress in such measures on a regular basis, taking in advice from experts.
The basic plan on measures for a Nankai Trough megaquake is expected to be officially endorsed next month.
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