Tokyo Aiming to Halve Deaths from Possible Quake

Tokyo, Jan. 31 (Jiji Press)--The Tokyo metropolitan government plans to set a new target of "roughly halving" by fiscal 2030 the estimated maximum death toll, currently at some 6,100, from a possible huge earthquake occurring directly under the Japanese capital, it was learned on Tuesday.

The new target is included in a working draft for revisions to Tokyo's regional disaster prevention plan, which was presented at the day's meeting of a related metropolitan government panel chaired by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.

The draft also covers measures to enhance disaster prevention, such as developing quake-resistant buildings.

The metropolitan government is expected to formalize the draft in the beginning of fiscal 2023, which starts in April, after hearing opinions from local residents.

In May 2022, the metropolitan government revised its estimate for damage from the possible earthquake for the first time in some 10 years.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]