US urges Japan to name disaster relief hub task force members
Adds comment from Japan's defence ministry in paragraph 6
By Tim Kelly
TOKYO, Aug 22 (Reuters) -The United States on Wednesday called on Japan to name its representatives for a joint task force that will determine the location and resources for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief hub they have agreed to establish in Japan.
In letters seen by Reuters on Thursday, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel asked Japan's foreign and defence ministers, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara, to provide the names of four Japanese officials at its "earliest convenience" and urged them to propose a date for the inaugural task force meeting.
"The effects of climate change are bringing devastation and destruction to communities around the world with ever-greater frequency and ferocity," Emanuel told Reuters in a separate comment.
Emergency supplies at the hub could also likely be used to help civilians displaced by any conflict in Asia. The commitment made in April by U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to establish the facility came amid growing concern about Chinese military drills around Taiwan.
In his letter, Emanuel said that he, along with Lieutenant General Roger Turner, the U.S Marine Corp commander in Japan, Colonel Patrick Biggs, the country's U.S. Army Corp of Engineers chief, and regional USAID head, Heath Cosgrove, would represent Washington on the task force.
A Japan Ministry of Defense spokesperson said the ministry had received Emanuel's letter but that nothing had been decided about the Japanese representatives.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Christopher Cushing
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.