TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) expressed heartfelt concern and condolences in Japanese on X Tuesday (Dec. 9) following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake off Aomori Prefecture (青森縣) coast. The powerful quake struck Monday (Dec. 8) at 11:15 p.m., prompting a tsunami warning for the Hokkaido and Tohoku regions. Lai's post demonstrated Taiwan's solidarity with Japan during the natural disaster.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) promptly activated a care mechanism, directing the Administration and International Affairs Office (行政暨國際處) to contact Aomori Prefecture (青森縣) and Mutsu City (陸奧市). Chen sent letters Tuesday morning to Aomori Governor Soichiro Miyashita (宮下宗一郎) and Mutsu Mayor Tomoya Yamamoto (山本知也), expressing deep concern for the disaster. Chen hoped for smooth recovery efforts in the affected areas.
The Kaohsiung City Government reached out to Mutsu City staff member Shin Kobayashi (小林晉), stationed in Kaohsiung, to inquire about the local situation and extend condolences following the earthquake. Reports indicated Mutsu City experienced building damage and power outages, prompting local authorities to initiate relocation efforts for affected residents. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported in the earthquake-affected areas as of Tuesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部), MOFA, immediately contacted the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (日本台灣交流協會) to convey condolences and instructed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan (駐日代表處) and Sapporo Office (札幌辦事處) to assess the disaster. Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) reported no Taiwanese citizens, expatriates, students, or tourists are trapped or affected. Hsiao urged those in emergency situations to contact the emergency assistance hotline. ◼