Japan to accept earthquake relief from U.S. only -Nikkei

Japan plans to accept a relief team from the United States but no aid from other governments, the daily Nikkei reported on Friday, four days after an earthquake killed 91 people and forced the evacuation of thousands in the Noto peninsula.
The U.S. and Japan are discussing how and when the U.S. would dispatch troops to the Noto peninsula, the Nikkei report said.
“We are not accepting any personnel or material aid at the moment given the situation on the ground and the efforts that would be required to receive them,” Japan’s top spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday.
He added that he would not comment on what discussions have taken place with the U.S.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said there were offers for help and messages of condolence from governments including Taiwan and China.
The full extent of casualties and damage from the earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day remains unclear, with rescue teams struggling to reach hard-hit areas due to severed roads and damaged infrastructure.