EU to assist Japan quake response

Civil protection team to travel to Japan in coming days.

José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, has announced that the European Union will provide assistance to Japan in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake last Friday (11 March).

Barroso said today (15 March) that the EU will “stand by the Japanese people and the Japanese authorities in these very difficult moments”.

Barroso stressed that Japan wanted a unified EU response rather than member states rushing in. “In light of the difficulties on the ground, the Japanese authorities have pleaded for a co-ordinated EU response, focused on in-kind assistance to bring relief to the affected population,” Barroso said. He said the EU had now made a “consolidated offer”.

The EU’s response will be co-ordinated by the Commission’s Monitoring and Information Centre. The Commission currently has two experts on the ground and is preparing to send a full civil protection team in the coming days.

Japan has requested blankets, mattresses, bottled water and water tanks, according to the Commission, but has not yet indicated the quantities it needs.

Barroso called the situation in Japan “very dramatic”.

Around half a million Japanese are believed to have lost their homes in the earthquake and a tsunami that destroyed entire villages.