TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Japan has decided to accept a U.S. rescue team following a powerful earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture, but is currently not seeking assistance from other countries, as reported by Nikkei Asia on Friday (Jan. 5).
The series of earthquakes has resulted in 92 fatalities and forced tens of thousands to evacuate along Japan's western coast as of press time.
Taiwan's rescue team reportedly extended an offer of assistance, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared a day earlier that Japan would not accept any overseas aid at this time.
The National Fire Agency (NFA) of Taiwan noted on Wednesday that, as the situation had not worsened, Taiwan's search and rescue team was stood down at 2 p.m. onearlier that day and resumed normal operations.
While leaders from the UK, South Korea, Italy, the Philippines, and other nations have also expressed a willingness to help, Japan's government has so far only sought help from the U.S.