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Article: Government Blasted For Quake Response; Murayama Defensive as Shortages Continue
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- January 21, 1995
- Author:
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The flames are finally out in Kobe, but the massive earthquake in
that central Japanese city this week has sparked heated political
debate over the government's response to the tragedy.
The national Diet, or parliament, opened its regular winter
session today, and opposition party members immediately blasted Prime
Minister Tomiichi Murayama for what they called delays and indecision
in getting rescue workers and supplies to the scene of Japan's worst
disaster since World War II.
"What do you think `management' means?" shouted Diet member
Yoshihiro Nikai when Murayama stood up to talk about the tragedy.
"Why didn't you send in rescue teams immediately from around the
country?"
The 70-year-old ...