Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday ordered relevant ministers in his cabinet to draw up a draft plan to prepare hospital ships so they can enter service from the 2025 budget year.
The instruction was given during the first meeting of the government’s task force on the use of ships as bases for medical activities at sea in the event of disasters or outbreaks of infectious diseases.
The government will further work out the details, including how such vessels should be operated, so that the ship preparation plan can be drawn up by the end of this year.
The intended hospital ships would evacuate victims of the disaster to other areas, where they would receive medical care. The ships would remain in ports near the affected areas to provide medical care.
The government eventually wants to own its own hospital ships, but initially it will use private car ferries for this purpose, including those under contract to the Ministry of Defence.
During the meeting, Kishida said ships were being used to help earthquake victims on the Noto Peninsula in central Japan and to transport relief supplies.
“In our country, surrounded by the sea, there are situations where it is effective to approach disaster areas from the sea and provide medical care,” he said.
Kishida also instructed ministers to secure budget funds, study best practices abroad and promote human resources development in preparation for a future large-scale disaster.
