Govt panel to review Tokyo disaster measures

The Japanese government has set up a panel to review disaster control measures for Tokyo. The aim is to prevent the loss of capital functions in case of a major earthquake.

Panel members, including disaster experts and corporate officials in charge of disaster control, met for the first time on Thursday in Tokyo.

Panel chair Hiroaki Yoshii, a professor at Tokyo Keizai University, noted that measures to safeguard capital functions have not been sufficiently studied. He said Japan should establish precautionary measures after thoroughly studying the March 11th disaster.

The government drew up disaster control guidelines for Tokyo 6 years ago.

But the March disaster highlighted a number of problems, such as paralyzed public transport systems, blackouts and a prolonged power shortage.

The panel will study what more needs to be done for government offices and businesses to continue operation, and for the quick restoration of essential utilities.

It plans to compile a report by the end of March next year.

Thursday, October 20, 2011 12:57 +0900 (JST)