India's ambassador thanks Japan for assisting Indians in quake-hit Ishikawa prefecture

Tokyo: India's Ambassador to Japan on Friday reaffirmed New Delhi's solidarity with the quake-hit Ishikawa Prefecture and thanked its governor for extending assistance to the Indian community there.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake, which struck Japan's northernmost peninsula of Noto on January 1, killed 241 people, 15 of whom died due to indirect causes, according to The Japan Times newspaper.

Ambassador Sibi George on Friday met the Governor of the Ishikawa Prefecture, where the Noto peninsula is located, and expressed condolences for the loss of lives caused by the earthquake.

"Ambassador @AmbSibiGeorge visited #Ishikawa Prefecture & met Hon’ble Governor, Mr. Hiroshi Hase. Expressed his condolences for (the) loss of lives due to (the) Noto Peninsula earthquake," the Indian Embassy in Japan said in a post on X.

"Thanked for assistance extended to Indians in #Ishikawa and reiterated India’s solidarity to Ishikawa and Japan," it said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Japan next week for talks with his counterpart and other leaders.

The Indian Embassy in Japan had set up an emergency control room for Indians who wanted any assistance following the series of strong earthquakes that jolted the country’s western coastline.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wrote to his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, expressing India's solidarity with Japan and its people affected by the devastating earthquake.

The Japanese Ambassador to India, Hiroshi Suzuki, expressed gratitude to the people of India for their prayers and encouragement following the earthquake.

“Dear friends in India, I am deeply grateful for so many sincere condolences, prayers and warm encouragements regarding the NotoEarthquake in Japan. Your solidarity at this very difficult time means so much for the Japanese people,” Suzuki said in a post on X.