"This afternoon, two specialists will leave for Japan by a Garuda plane to strengthen the previous team," Exkuwin Suharyanto, a PMI spokesman, said here Thursday.
PMI decided to send the two specialists after communicating with the Japanese government and Red Cross.
"PMI has specialists in that matter and we also have a website for RFL program," he said.
The two specialists will be posted in the Crisis Center at the Indonesian embassy in Tokyo, and they will work as long as they are needed.
Since Sunday (13/3), PMI has also opened a command post to help those looking for their missing relatives in Tokyo in the aftermath of the natural disasters devastating Japan recently. The command post`s phone number is 021-799 2325, ext 678.
"So our two specialists in Japan will match the data sent from Indonesia," Exkuwin said.
PMI has also prepared 10-20 disaster mitigation volunteers and SAR (Search and Rescue) specialists in the medical, water and sanitation fields.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Wednesday (March 16) that the Indonesian government was sending a disaster mitigation team and two million US dollars in aid to help Japan recover from its recent disaster.
Speaking at a press conference with Japan`s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Kikuta at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Marty said the 11-member disaster mitigation team would depart on Thursday, March 17, 2010.
Along with the disaster mitigation team, the Indonesian government would send funds for disaster aid amounting to two million US dollars.
Marty said Indonesia was also helped by Japan every time it was hit by a natural disaster and it was very reasonable and appropriate if on this occasion Indonesia assisted Japan in its time of need.
(T.D016/F001/HAJM/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
