Central Japan Quake Death Toll Rises to 128

From Jiji

January 7 2024

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref – The death toll in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, from Monday’s powerful magnitude-7.6 earthquake has risen to 128, prefectural officials said Sunday.  

The New Year’s Day earthquake has left 195 people unaccounted for in the prefecture, the officials said. 

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government will give preferential administrative treatment to those affected by the earthquake. 

The government will designate the earthquake as a specified emergency disaster to give preferential treatment such as extending the validity period of driver’s licenses and postponing bankruptcy proceedings, Kishida told officials at a meeting of his disaster response headquarters in Tokyo. 

“It is important to quickly create an environment in which quake victims can concentrate on rebuilding their lives and communities,” he said.