Japan PM Kishida scraps overseas trip after ‘megaquake’ advisory

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida canceled a trip to Central Asia on Friday ( Aug 9 ) after earthquake scientists warned the nation to prepare for a potential “megaquake.”

Eight people were seriously injured by a magnitude 7.1 tremor in the south, which the Japan Meteorological Agency ( JMA ) issued the advisory on Thursday.

Kishida planned to travel to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia on Friday, and she wanted to speak at a local conference.

” As the prime minister with the highest duty for problems control, I decided I should be in Japan for at least a week”, he told reporters.

Following a significant earthquake of magnitude 9.0 in 2011, which resulted in a dangerous tsunami and nuclear catastrophe, Kishida added that the public may be “very stressed” after the JMA issued its second consulting.

The JMA stated that while a new key earthquake is more likely than usual, it does not indicate that it will ever occur.

No serious harm was reported from the southern island of Kyushu as a result of the earthquake that occurred on Thursday. No major damage was caused by the shaking of the cars and traffic lights.

Eight people were hurt, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, including some who were reportedly stricken by falling things.