Japan holds nationwide earthquake drills
- 11 years ago
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe led the country on nationwide earthquake drill on Sunday (September 1).
The drills are held annually, this year it commemorates the 90th year since the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923.
The prime minister and his cabinet minister went through a drill scenario of a massive earthquake hitting south of Tokyo and in the neighbouring prefecture of Shizuoka.
This scenario is based on what seismologists say could be an upcoming Nankai trough earthquake off central and western Japan. Officials estimate this quake could kill over 323,000 people and paralyse the world's third largest economy.
The drills date back to the early 1920's when the Great Kanto Earthquake hit Tokyo and killed over 100,000 in the nation's capital and surrounding cities in 1923.
The drills are held annually, this year it commemorates the 90th year since the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923.
The prime minister and his cabinet minister went through a drill scenario of a massive earthquake hitting south of Tokyo and in the neighbouring prefecture of Shizuoka.
This scenario is based on what seismologists say could be an upcoming Nankai trough earthquake off central and western Japan. Officials estimate this quake could kill over 323,000 people and paralyse the world's third largest economy.
The drills date back to the early 1920's when the Great Kanto Earthquake hit Tokyo and killed over 100,000 in the nation's capital and surrounding cities in 1923.