Japan earthquake death toll rises to 64 as aftershocks hinder rescue

The death toll in Ishikawa, central Japan, has escalated to 64 as of Wednesday noon, following a series of potent earthquakes.

The calamities, along with subsequent aftershocks and harsh weather, have complicated rescue efforts. Structural damage and fires have been reported in the city of Wajima in Ishikawa Prefecture, but the full impact of the disaster is yet to be determined.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a warning about potential mudslides due to expected intermittent rain through Thursday in the affected parts of the prefecture, where some villages are still isolated. Japan's Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) plan to deploy helicopters to deliver supplies to these regions, and local authorities have called on the central government to dispatch SDF personnel for disaster relief.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a press conference on Wednesday, announced the government's decision to increase the number of SDF personnel in the disaster-stricken areas.

This announcement came a day after a collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport between a Japan Airlines Co. plane and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft carrying relief material, raising concerns about potential disruptions to supply deliveries to the Noto Peninsula and surrounding areas.

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