TOKYO - A group providing complimentary car rentals to those affected by disasters stated on Wednesday that over 2 million vehicles might suffer damage from tidal surges following a major earthquake near Japan's eastern coastline, specifically along the Nankai Trench.
A study spanning 12 out of Japan's 47 prefectures, such as Aichi located in central Japan, revealed that up to 2.04 million private cars might be affected by tidal surges after an earthquake measuring 8 or 9 on the Richter scale — roughly fivefold the amount of vehicles harmed during the March 2011 quake and subsequent tsunami that severely impacted northern Japan.
The Japanese Car Rental Association, located in Ishinomaki, where many lives were lost during the 2011 catastrophe, requested governmental assistance to grow its operations through vehicles provided as donations.
The organization assessed the damages using projections of flood-affected homes and car ownership levels across 12 out of the 30 prefectures expected to suffer significant impacts from a potential Nankai Trough megathrust earthquake, which have been identified as priority zones for enhancing disaster preparedness initiatives. Information was accessible for these 12 regions, such as Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Ehime, and Miyazaki.
The national authorities have cautioned that there is a 60% to 90% chance or more of a massive earthquake happening in the Nankai Trench region over the next three decades, with potential casualties reaching approximately 298,000 in the most severe situation.
According to the prefectures, the estimated count of damaged vehicles will be greatest in Aichi with 394,000, then Osaka with 306,000, and Mie with 224,000.
Vehicles might be carried off, harmed, or made non-functional in regions affected by tsunami floods, according to the organization.
In reaction to the 2024 quake that hit the Noto Peninsula along the Sea of Japan coastline, the organization leased 527 cars and allocated roughly 69 million yen ($424,000) each year for upkeep and related expenses.
The organization calculates that approximately 20,000 vehicles and 2.6 billion yen per year would be required to assist individuals in the 12 prefectures should a massive earthquake occur in the Nankai Trough region.
Although the group currently oversees approximately 600 vehicles, association leader Takehiko Yoshizawa stated at a news briefing that assistance might not entirely arrive in regions affected by disasters unless there is government financing and the deployment of state-owned vehicles.