January 6, 8 & 9, 2024

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo, on the NHK “Sunday Debate” program aired on January 7, regarding the major earthquake hitting the Noto Peninsula and relief operations for the affected areas and residents said, “To mobilize every possible means to rescue and save human life must be the top priority right now. At the same time, it is very important to prevent disaster-related deaths.”

The 7.6-magnitude major earthquake on January 1 struck Ishikawa, Fukui, Toyama, and Niigata prefectures. As of January 9, the death toll reached 168, and 323 people still remain missing in Ishikawa.

Shii on the program said that he already told Prime Minister Kishida in an all-party leaders’ meeting on January 5 to take every possible measure to have necessary relief goods reach every evacuation center without delay. Shii said to PM Kishida, “The priority at this moment is life-saving. In parallel, it is essential to fundamentally boost support functions for shelters and evacuees to prevent secondary damage such as a spread of infections.

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Former House of Representatives member of the JCP Fujino Yasufumi on January 7 checked firsthand the damage in Joetsu City and Itoigawa City in Niigata Prefecture. Consoling the victims, he listened to their needs and said, “I will do my utmost in cooperation with local JCP assemblymembers for a quick recovery of the affected communities.”

Former House of Councilors member of the JCP Takeda Ryosuke on January 8 visited Niigata City where a wide area was liquefied and many houses were damaged due to intermittent tremors. He heard the situation of damage from the disaster victims and listened to their needs.