Japan Maritime Self Defense Force's (JMSDF)'s landing ship "Shimokita", commanded by Captain Masanobu Miura, arrived at Karachi port on Saturday to bring two more large helicopters after 11,000km voyage from Japan. This was stated by Masaharu Sato, Consul General of Japan in Karachi while speaking at a press conference at Karachi Press Club, here on Saturday.
Sato said that under the command of Captain Shunya Sasaki, commanding officer of Landing Ship Division 1, these helicopters will join the four helicopters already dispatched by Japan by air, commencing disaster relief mission on August 31, 2010 in Multan. These contingents will consist of 200 personnel of Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF).
He said that on September 9, 2010, the government of Japan decided to dispatch the second Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) medical team to Pakistan. The second JDR team departed for Pakistan on September 12, 2010. This particular team will take over duties from the one already engaged in carrying out medical relief activities in Punjab province.
The CG pointed that this is the second time for the JGSDF to conduct a humanitarian relief in Pakistan. Following the earthquake in October 2005 in the northern areas of the country, JGSDF sent 6 UH-1 helicopters for humanitarian relief. In other areas, the JMSDF destroyer and patrol aircraft are currently engaged in anti-piracy mission off Somalia. Since the outset of 2010 historical flood in Pakistan, government of Japan has been actively taking part in efforts to provide the much-needed assistance.
These include emergency grant assistance of $13 million, emergency relief goods of approximately $400,000, assistance by Japan Platform (JPF) of approximately $6 million, dispatch of Self Defense Force (SDF) unit of JDR team, dispatch of JDR medical team and dispatch of Japanese experts to Damage and Needs Assessment (DNA) of World Bank and Asian Development Bank, he concluded.
Captain Shunya Sasaki, commanding officer of Landing Ship Division 1, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force; Captain Masanobu Miura, commanding officer of Landing Ship Tank, "Shimokita" Japan Maritime Self Defense Force; Colonel Makoto Kasamatsu, co-ordinating officer, Japan Ground Self Defense Force and Colonel Hiroki Ushijima, Director Public Affairs, Japan Ground Self Defense Force were also present on the occasion.
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