[House Document 104-22]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





                                     

        104th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House 
Document 104-22


 
                     DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR JAPAN

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 NOTIFICATION THAT HE HAS DIRECTED THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO PROVIDE 
APPROPRIATE DISASTER ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN IN RESPONSE 
    TO THE EARTHQUAKE OF JANUARY 17, 1995, PURSUANT TO 10 U.S.C. 404




  January 23, 1995.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
        Committee on National Security and ordered to be printed
To the Congress of the United States:
    I have directed the Secretary of Defense to provide 
appropriate disaster assistance to the Government of Japan in 
response to the devastating earthquake of January 17, 1995. As 
required by section 404 of title 10, United States Code, I am 
notifying the Congress that the United States commenced 
disaster relief operations on January 18, 1995, at 11:06 p.m., 
eastern standard time. To date, the U.S. military has provided 
37,000 blankets. In addition, the following information is 
provided:
    1. Disaster relief assistance is being provided in response 
to an earthquake affecting Kobe and Osaka, Japan.
    2. Reports indicate at least 3,100 people have died, nearly 
900 are missing, over 16,000 are injured, and an estimated 
240,000 are homeless. The destruction of basic physical 
infrastructure poses a threat to the lives of the survivors.
    3. Currently, U.S. military involvement has been limited to 
15 U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules sorties. Further requests for 
U.S. military assistance in the form of transportation, 
supplies, services, and equipment are unknown at this time.
    4. Switzerland is providing search and rescue dog teams. 
Assistance by other countries is unknown.
    5. Anticipated duration of disaster assistance activities 
is unknown.

                                                William J. Clinton.
    The White House, January 20, 1995.