Latest news with #megaquake
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Japan eyes 80% cut in 298,000 death toll for potential megaquake in Nankai Trough
This Week in Asia Politics Published: 7:08pm, 11 Jun 2025 Japan is seeking to reduce by 80 per cent in the next decade its estimated 298,000 death toll from a potential megaquake in the Nankai Trough. Authorities also intend to halve the maximum number of buildings expected to be completely destroyed in such a disaster from the current projection of 2.35 million. The targets align with a 2104 basic blueprint but will also take into account the latest damage estimates released in March, according to the Kyodo news agency. A revised plan for emergency earthquake response and disaster mitigation for the next 10 years is also in the works. The draft was approved at a ruling Liberal Democratic Party panel meeting on Tuesday and is expected to be adopted by the government's Central Disaster Management Council in early July. 02:40 Japan's 'megaquake' warning: what is it and how to prepare Japan's 'megaquake' warning: what is it and how to prepare The earthquake task force's revised estimate showed only a 20 per cent reduction in 2014's projected death toll of 332,000 and 2.5 million destroyed buildings, The Japan Times newspaper reported.
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan plans to target 80% reduction of likely megaquake death toll in 10 years
The government plans to set a target of reducing the expected death toll from a possible megaquake in the Nankai Trough off the country's Pacific coast by 80% in the next 10 years from its recent estimate of up to 298,000 deaths, sources said Tuesday. The target will be included in a new basic plan for promoting disaster prevention measures, which is expected to be adopted by the government's Central Disaster Management Council in early July. The government will also aim to halve the expected number of burned and destroyed buildings in the possible megaquake, currently estimated to be up to 2.35 million. The basic plan lists emergency earthquake response measures and disaster mitigation targets for the next 10 years. The government is now working to update the existing plan based on damage estimates released in March. The new plan is expected to call for intensive efforts to develop evacuation shelters and stockpile emergency supplies to prevent earthquake-related deaths from indirect causes. The current basic plan, adopted in fiscal 2014, has the same 10-year targets for reducing the expected death toll and building damage. However, it was revealed in March that both estimates had only been reduced by 20%.
