WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by country | Página 363

Standard Project Report 2016
Country Context and WFP Objectives
Country Context
Japan is the world's third largest economy and is a major donor for WFP. While WFP does not have operations in
Japan, it builds strong partnerships with Japanese institutions to support WFP operations around the world. Japan
is vulnerable to risks of earthquakes and other natural disasters and sometimes requires limited technical support
from the international community. The Japanese Government has requested WFP technical assistance in the past,
such as for the Great Eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011.
On 14 and 16 April 2016, two powerful earthquakes of 6.5 and 7.3 magnitude respectively, struck the south-western
part of Japan, affecting nearly one million people in Kumamoto and other prefectures on Kyushu Island. According
to official figures, the earthquakes caused 70 deaths, 1,700 injuries, and 180,000 evacuees at its peak and resulted
in considerable destruction of homes, businesses, livelihoods and infrastructure. The effects of the earthquakes
were exacerbated by an additional 1,400 earthquakes and aftershocks in the following month.
The Government of Japan declared a “Disaster of Extreme Severity” on 17 April 2016 and mounted a massive
search and rescue and relief and recovery operation, which included the dispatch of 26,000 personnel from the
Japan Self Defense Forces.
Japan (JP)
3
Single Country Special Operation - 200976