Japan, after initially sending $16 million (TL 302 million) in emergency aid for disaster-ravaged Türkiye and Syria, has extended it even more by boosting its humanitarian support to around $27 million since the Feb. 6 earthquakes.
"With this assistance, the Government of Japan will implement humanitarian assistance activities for those seriously affected by the disaster in Türkiye and Syria in areas such as shelter, food, nonfood items, early recovery (removal of debris, etc.), health and medical care, protection, and water and sanitation," said a Foreign Ministry statement issued late Friday. Tokyo says it will continue to work closely with relevant countries and international organizations to implement disaster relief and support in areas affected by the twin earthquakes.
Japan has been operating its history's biggest overseas medical mission in Türkiye in the aftermath of the disaster, a senior official from the country said Friday.
"It is the first time for the Japanese government to set up a Type-II hospital which, among other capacities, can conduct surgical operation and can accept patients for night stay," Takeshi Ishihara, the leader of the approximately 70-member medical and paramedical Japanese staff, told Anadolu Agency (AA). The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the field hospital.
Japan's medical field camp began its operations recently in the Oğuzeli district of Türkiye's Gaziantep province – one of 11 southern and southeastern provinces hit by the Feb. 6 twin quakes that caused widespread devastation and resulted in the death of over 43,500 people, according to official figures.
Ishihara, an official from Japan's Foreign Ministry, said the Japanese medical team arrived in two groups on Feb. 13 and Feb. 15 when it started its operations. Almost half of the staff are women, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and logistics staff. "Our team carries medical supplies and drugs and can conduct X-ray scanning," said Ishihara, adding it is self-sufficient and that the field hospital is set up inside a tent.
Soon after the strong tremors shook Türkiye, Japan immediately sent search and rescue teams besides emergency aid to help in post-quake operations. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also spoke with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to convey condolences and solidarity. "Japan is going to provide emergency assistance on a scale of $8.5 million and additional provision of emergency relief goods for Türkiye," Kishida told Erdoğan.
Ishihara, who oversees medical assistance in Gaziantep, said, "Our medical team can provide consultation on chronic diseases and conduct dialysis." He added that the Japanese team accepts "ordinary patients," including those suffering other problems and that the Japanese team had treated more than 600 patients so far.
Ishihara said the Japanese field hospital is cooperating with the state hospital in the region, which was also damaged in the strong tremors. "When we need any equipment, the Turkish national hospital lends it to us, and if they need anything, we do so ... we are working in close cooperation," said the Japanese official. While the Japanese medical team continues to serve Turkish people, Ishihara said: "We have not decided how long our team will continue to provide medical services here. We will decide the date through consultation with Turkish authorities and based on the needs on the ground."
According to the Foreign Ministry, 28 countries have set up 31 field hospitals in southern Türkiye after powerful earthquakes shook the region earlier this month. In addition, more than 109,500 tents, 246 living containers and 1,500 mobile hygiene units have been brought to Türkiye with the coordination of foreign representatives, according to a graphic the ministry shared on Twitter on Friday. In-kind aid supplies delivered to the disaster zone include nearly 1.5 million blankets, over 211,800 sleeping bags, 80,800 beds, 26,600 generators, 5,900 tons of clothing, 3,200 tons of hygienic medical supplies and 5,700 tons of food, it added.