Embassy of Japan in Malaysia

Press Briefing by Ambassador Horie
on Tohoku district-off the Pacific Ocean Earthquake (16:00, 15 March 2011)

16 March 2011

On 11th March 2011, at 2:46 PM an enormously powerful earthquake of Magnitude 9.0 struck, with its seismic center off the Sanriku coast. This earthquake followed by tsunami has resulted in tremendous damage across a wide area, centered on the Tohoku district. The earthquake of Magnitude 9.0 is the largest in the history of Japan, and the 4th largest in the world since 1900 in terms of scale. This has been followed by unprecedented scale of aftershocks, which caused further casualties and delay and disruption in rescue and rehabilitation operations.

Out of this whole series of disasters, confirmed as of 14:00, 15 March, casualty was recorded as 2475, the injured 1889, the missing 3296, and over 440,000 people are in the evacuation facilities.

The Government of Japan has been making every possible efforts to ensure the safety of the people and keep the damage to the minimum possible extent through research and rescue operations. It is simultaneously undergoing major supply and assistance operations to the evacuees in that district. The Tohoku district is still suffering from large-scale blackouts of power and communication, and extensive disruption of road transportation. Due to a major drop in power supply capacity, there is now scheduled power cuts in Tokyo area, where people suffer from shortage of food and fuel supply, public transportation and other metropolitan infrastructures.

The developments with respect to nuclear power plants in Fukushima draw attention and concerns of the people of Japan and of the world. The Government of Japan is taking all available measures to contain further radioactive leakage and incidents related to those plants.

Following this major disaster, we have received messages of condolences, sympathies and encouragement from Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib, the Foreign Minister Dato’ Sri Anifah, other leaders, royal families and from every corner of the Malaysian society. I am without words to express how the people and Government of Japan and myself have been touched and encouraged by those messages. I am also moved by various very kind offers from the Government of Malaysia as well as from our various friends in this country.

I am praying for the safety of all Malaysians in Japan, among others students studying there to be the future ties between our two countries. To confirm the safety of those Malaysians in Japan, Wisma Putra and the Malaysian Embassy in Tokyo are investing their utmost efforts; the Japanese Government is also communicating with universities and institutions who host the Malaysian students.

The people of Japan has overcome various disasters and difficult situations in the past. I believe that the people of Japan will certainly prevail over this disaster and current difficulties, supported by the invaluable friendship from the people of Malaysia and rise up again to meet up with the expectations.

(Fact sheets (PDF file))

[External Link]
Tearful Japanese envoy paints a bleak picture (Star Online: 16 March 2011)
Japan Not Ready To Receive Volunteers (My News Hub: 15 March 2011)
Government to Determine Whether To Send SMART Team To Japan (Bernama.com: 15 march 2011)

© Embassy of Japan in Malaysia
No.11 Persiaran Stonor, Off Jalan Tun Razak,
50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2177 2600