Japanese team helps earthquake victims in China
An elite team of Japanese search and rescue workers has arrived in China to help out. Here’s a video news report showing some scenes of the team at work:
The Yomiuri Shinbun explains why China allowed the Japanese team to take part in the rescue efforts:
The main reason behind China’s apparently belated acceptance of Japan’s offer to send emergency relief workers to an area hit by Monday’s powerful earthquake seems to be an acknowledgement by Beijing of this country’s accumulated experience in such matters.
Though the Japanese government presented the offer to Beijing soon after the earthquake occurred Monday, the Chinese government did not immediately take up the offer. On Thursday, however, Beijing unexpectedly chose Japan as the first country from which to accept foreign rescue teams.
Senior Vice Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera said: “Japan has abundant experience in dealing with natural disasters. [A recent improvement in] Japan-China relations also is a factor.”
