Japan Sends Medical Goods to Quake-Hit Turkey

Tokyo, Feb. 13 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese government plane carrying some 15 tons of medical equipment and other goods departed Narita International Airport near Tokyo on Monday afternoon for earthquake-hit Turkey.

The equipment will be used by a Japanese medical team to treat people injured in the devastating quakes. The plane, operated by the Air Self-Defense Force, is expected to arrive in Turkey as early as Tuesday.

The cargo includes large medical tents with surgical and inpatient facilities, ventilators, X-ray machines and blood purification equipment, which is used to treat crush syndrome, an often fatal condition caused by being trapped under debris for a long time.

The 36-member Japanese medical team arrived in Turkey on Monday after leaving Tokyo on a commercial fight Sunday night.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference that the government is working to provide Turkey and neighboring Syria with humanitarian financial aid via its official development assistance program.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]