TOKYO - A government and Tokyo metropolitan task force held its first joint meeting with private-sector participants on March 25th to discuss countermeasures for a potential large-scale eruption of Mount Fuji that could blanket central Tokyo in volcanic ash and severely disrupt daily life.
A simulation video created by the Cabinet Office showed large amounts of volcanic ash falling over the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, illustrating the potential scale of damage if Mount Fuji were to erupt.
Estimates indicate that ash accumulation in central Tokyo could reach up to 10 centimeters, raising concerns over widespread disruption, including logistics delays caused by transport paralysis, suspension of railway services, and major outages in electricity and communications.
In response, the Cabinet Office and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government convened the meeting with private companies for the first time to coordinate preparedness measures.
Morikubo Tsukasa, a senior official at the Cabinet Office, said: "It is extremely meaningful for infrastructure operators, lifeline providers, and various administrative bodies to come together and discuss a unified direction."
Participants agreed to focus future discussions on maintaining daily life at home, ensuring mobility and evacuation, and managing the removal and disposal of volcanic ash.
Source: TBS
