Kumamoto, Nov. 4 (Jiji Press)–Disaster management minister Goshi Hosono has visited areas affected by a major earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan in July. During his first visit since taking office, Hosono toured an evacuation center that accommodates pets and a bathing facility providing services to people affected by the disaster. “The central government must support local governments so that differences in their capabilities do not affect areas or people affected by the earthquake,” he told reporters Tuesday, stressing the need to improve conditions at evacuation centers. Following the visit, Hosono met with Kumamoto Governor Takashi Kimura at the prefectural government office. Kimura requested that a disaster management bureau, a regional branch of the National Disaster Management Agency, be established in Kumamoto, according to Hosono. In response, the minister said that he wants to “create a system capable of providing comprehensive coverage across the country.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
