EDITORIAL: Disaster relief for China

Amid international frustration over Myanmar's (Burma's) foot-dragging in allowing relief efforts to the cyclone-hit nation, a massive earthquake with 20 times the energy of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake struck China.

Monday's 7.8 magnitude temblor destroyed as many as 500,000 buildings and claimed more than 10,000 lives in areas centering on Sichuan province. There are also reports that many more people were buried alive. The fate of tens of thousands of people remains unknown because they cannot be reached.

There must be many people at this moment trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings who are desperately fighting back pain and anxiety while waiting to be rescued. The rescue work is hampered by the fact that roads are impassable.

Japan and other nations with a lot of experience in earthquake rescue activities have offered to dispatch relief workers. But China has yet to accept them. Up to now, China has rarely accepted foreign rescue teams in times of natural disaster. Apparently, it prefers to overcome crises on its own and is confident it can do so without outside help.

But the damage this time is tremendous. Many rescue teams will be needed if lives are to be saved. There is no time to waste. The Chinese government accepted Japan's aid worth 500 million yen. Now it needs to make a quick decision about accepting Tokyo's offer to send rescue teams.

This is the first time such extensive earthquake damage has occurred in China since the Tangshan earthquake in Hebei province in 1976 that killed 240,000 people. Like Japan, China is prone to earthquakes. In China, southwestern areas such as Sichuan and Yunnan provinces are particularly vulnerable. In the past, many earthquakes occurred along active faults. That is believed to be the case this time, too.

As soon as the earthquake hit, Chinese authorities mobilized a large number of soldiers. Premier Wen Jiabao rushed to the stricken area to lead the rescue effort.

China reacted quickly apparently because it wanted to keep social unrest at a minimum as it prepares to host the Beijing Olympics. Since the epicenter was in a region inhabited by many Tibetans, no doubt Beijing wanted to avoid the impression that it was skimping on rescue activities.

In March, rioting flared in the stricken area and police fired shots to quell the unrest. In spite of lingering resentment between Beijing and Tibetan residents, it is important that China does its utmost to save as many lives as possible.

Looking at photos and images of the stricken area, we are reminded of the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Modern buildings withstood the shock, while old structures collapsed. It is tragic that many schools were among those that were destroyed.

Researchers say the first three days are crucial in reaching survivors trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings.

In this regard, Japan has a bitter experience. After the Great Hanshin Earthquake, offers poured in from France, Switzerland and elsewhere to dispatch rescue teams. But the government was late in responding. By the time most teams arrived, three days had already passed.

We don't want China to make the same mistake. Accepting foreign rescue teams also helps to create trust between countries. It will soon be two days since the earthquake struck.

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 14(IHT/Asahi: May 15,2008)