TOKYO Kyodo - The government on Friday designated 108 municipalities across seven of Japan's 47 prefectures as requiring stronger anti-disaster measures in preparation for a major earthquake that could strike Japan's northern regions of Hokkaido and Tohoku and cause a tsunami.
The government vowed to expand financial assistance for the 108 municipalities in Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture, neighboring Tokyo, to assist in compiling evacuation measures, as it set a new 10 year goal to reduce 80 percent of the number of victims, predicted to be up to 199,000.
A government panel appointed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has designated the municipalities under the scenario of a megaquake and resulting tsunami originating in the Japan Trench, which extends from Hokkaido to east of the Boso Peninsula near Tokyo, and the Chishima Trench, which is off the Chishima Islands, also known as the Kuril Islands.
The panel revised the government's anti-disaster program and said it would set up evacuation routes for tsunami evacuees, make buildings more earthquake resistant, conduct evacuation drills and take measures against risks particularly seen in cold regions such as large amounts of snow and hypothermia.
Kishida told the panel that measures against and to prevent disasters would be strengthened swiftly.
The government said that a total of 272 municipalities in eight prefectures are predicted to have a tremblor of 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 due to a megaquake along the Japan or Chishima trenches, but 108 municipalities need stronger anti-disaster measures as tsunami is expected to hit those areas relatively quickly.
Among the 108 municipalities, flooding of more than 30 centimeters is projected to occur within 40 minutes from Hokkaido to Fukushima prefectures, which are expected to see more than 30 centimeters flooded within 40 minutes of the occurrence of a megaquake and those in Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures.
The designated municipalities will compile evacuation plans outlining the setup of escape routes and shelter towers, as well as plans to relocate houses to high ground.
When certain criteria are met, the government will increase the size of subsidies for the projects from half of the total cost to two-thirds.