Death toll rises to 65 in strong Japan quakes as aftershocks hinder rescue

Ishikawa prefectural authorities have asked the central government to send Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel for disaster relief, and the forces were set to use helicopters to deliver supplies to cut-off areas, according to local media reports.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a press conference on Wednesday that the government had decided to double the number of SDF members in the disaster-hit region from 1,000 at present.

A day after a tragic collision between a Japan Airlines plane and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft carrying relief goods at Tokyo's Haneda airport, Kishida said the accident has no impact on disaster relief work and transportation of relief supplies to the areas has been progressing steadily.