China has extended its condolences to Japan in the aftermath of the powerful earthquake striking the Noto Peninsula and stands ready to provide necessary assistance for earthquake relief efforts, announced Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a press conference on Wednesday.
The devastating earthquake, which hit the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa and its surroundings on New Year’s Day, has resulted in the tragic loss of 65 lives as of Wednesday.
Wang emphasized that there have been no reported casualties among Chinese citizens in Japan thus far. Both the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese missions in Japan remain vigilant, closely monitoring the situation, and are committed to offering timely assistance to Chinese citizens in Japan as needed.
Expressing condolences for the collision between a Japan Airlines plane and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft, Wang conveyed sympathies to the injured parties. The Chinese Embassy in Japan promptly contacted local government authorities and the airline to verify the situation.
Currently, there are no reports of Chinese citizens sustaining injuries. However, among those involved in the incident are 14 tourists from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The embassy has engaged with them, assisting in the reissuance of travel documents for those who lost them.
On Tuesday, a Japan Airlines flight caught fire on a runway at Tokyo’s Haneda airport after colliding with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft. All 379 passengers and crew escaped, but most of the coast guard plane crew reportedly lost their lives. The Coast Guard plane was en route to Niigata airport to provide aid to those affected by the earthquake.
Ishikawa Prefecture and adjacent areas experienced a series of aftershocks on Wednesday, including a 5.5-magnitude earthquake in the morning at a depth of 10 kilometers, as reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Although the JMA has lifted all tsunami advisories along the Sea of Japan, concerns persist about potential tsunamis due to strong aftershocks. Additionally, attention is directed toward the security of nuclear power plants located in the earthquake-affected regions.