岸田首相「時間との勝負」　救助態勢増強、輸送ルート確保急ぐ―能登地震３日目

　政府は３日午前、石川県能登地方を震源とする地震を受けて、非常災害対策本部（本部長・岸田文雄首相）の会合を首相官邸で開いた。発生から３日目を迎え、首相は関係閣僚らに「時間との勝負であることを念頭に置き、人命第一で救命・救助活動に全力を尽くしてほしい」と指示した。政府は自衛隊などの態勢を強化し、救助を急ぐ。
　倒壊した建物の下で救助を待つ被災者はなお多数に上る。首相は「救助を必要とする方々の情報が多く寄せられており、助けを待っている方々がいる」と強調。この後の記者会見で、天候の悪化や余震が予想されるとして「住民の方は安全第一で行動してほしい」と呼び掛けた。（2024/01/03-12:21）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed ministers on Wednesday to do their best to rescue people affected in a powerful earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in central Japan on New Year's Day.
   "Bearing in mind that it is a race against time, utmost efforts should be made in life-saving and rescue operations, putting human life first," Kishida told a meeting of his disaster response headquarters.
   "We have received a lot of information about people who need help, and there are people waiting for help," he said.
   At a press conference after the meeting, Kishida said some 2,000 Self-Defense Forces personnel will be deployed for search and rescue operations, up from an initially planned 1,000, and that the number of rescue dogs will be more than doubled.
   The magnitude-7.6 earthquake struck the peninsula and surrounding areas Monday afternoon, with a maximum seismic intensity of 7, the highest on the Japanese scale.