President William Lai (賴清德) today expressed his deepest condolences to all those affected by the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that hit Aomori Prefecture in northeastern Japan late last night.
Japanese authorities lifted tsunami warnings earlier today after a powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake shook northeastern regions at 11:15pm, or 10:15pm in Taiwan, injuring at least 30 people and forcing about 90,000 to evacuate their homes.
Replying to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s post on X about the earthquake, Lai wrote in Japanese that Taiwan and Japan have always supported each other in times of disaster, and Taiwan is ready to provide any assistance necessary.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei speaks at a news conference in Taipei this morning. Photo: Huang Chin-hsuan, Taipei Times
Taiwan prays for the safety of everyone in Japan and that life can soon return to normal, he wrote.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is paying close attention to the situation, and upon hearing of the earthquake, immediately contacted the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association to express condolences and offer assistance, Liu Kun-hao (劉昆豪), deputy director-general of the ministry’s Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told a news conference this morning.
So far, there are no reports of Taiwanese being injured or trapped in the quake, ministry spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said.
Photo: Screen grab from President William Lai’s X account
The ministry has instructed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan and its Sapporo branch to continue monitoring the situation, ensure the safety of Taiwanese in the region and provide any necessary assistance, he said.
If Taiwanese encounter an emergency in Japan, they should immediately call the emergency assistance hotline and contact the local representative office, he added.
There have been no notifications from travel agencies or tour groups of Taiwanese nationals being affected, the Tourism Administration said.
The Central Weather Administration earlier issued a tsunami warning, which has since been retracted.
Taiwan would not be affected by the earthquake, the agency said.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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