"Japanese Red Cross Society at the Front Line of Disaster-Relief Operation," Briefing by Mr. Konoe

Foreign Press Center Japan
http://fpcj.jp/

February 17, 2010【Mr. Tadateru Konoe, President of the Japanese Red Cross Society and President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: "Japanese Red Cross Society at the Front Line of Disaster-Relief Operation" 】


FPCJ held a press briefing, inviting JRCS President Tadateru Konoe, who has become the new President of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He talked about the history of the Red Cross, JRCS's activities, and relief operations in earthquake-stricken Haiti. A total of 19 people attended the briefing, including foreign correspondents, officials from embassies, and FPCJ supporting members.

Mr. Konoe, who, one week after the devastating earthquake, visited the quake-hit Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, explained the situation in the country, saying, "The government was almost nonfunctional, the essential utilities and infrastructure were completely destroyed, and it was hard to maintain security." According to Mr. Konoe, large quantities of relief goods were being sent from all over the world, but not reaching the victims. "How to coordinate relief operations is one of the critical issues," he said.

He also talked about local Red Cross staff members, who were relied on by the government and the local residents and were working hard on relief operations in such severe conditions.

In the Q&A session, foreign journalists brought up such issues as the Red Cross's concrete plan for the relief operations in Haiti and the historic impact of the Great Hansin-Awaji earthquake on disaster-relief operations and volunteer activities in Japan.

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http://fpcj.jp/modules/news2/index.php?page=article&storyid=89&ml_lan...

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