TOKYO, March 31 (UPI) -- In three earthquake-prone areas of Japan, the government has come up with a 10-year plan to cut in half the deaths and destruction wrought by future quakes.
The strategy aims to increase the number of quake-resistant homes in the three areas to 90 percent by 2014, up from 75 percent in 2003. It also plans to make bridges for railways and vehicle traffic quake-resistant.
The plan was proposed by the Cabinet Office's Central Disaster Management Council headed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, the Asahi Shimbun reported Thursday.
In the case of an earthquake in the Tokai area, the plan would reduce the anticipated 9,200 deaths to 4,500 and would reduce damage costs from $345.1 billion to $177.2 billion.
As for earthquakes in the Tonankai and Nankai areas, which would likely trigger tsunamis, the plan would reduce deaths from an estimated 17,800 to 9,100 and the economic impact from $531.7 billion to about $279.8 billion.
Introducing quake-resistant houses would drastically cut fatalities, the council believes, and fortified houses would also reduce the risk of fires.
