Japanese relief equipment arrives in Pakistan

MULTAN, Pakistan, Aug. 25 Kyodo -
A Japanese Air Self-Defense transport plane arrived in the central Pakistani
city of Multan on Wednesday with equipment to help a Japanese Ground
Self-Defense Force relief mission set up flood-relief operations.
Japan is airlifting six helicopters to Pakistan to help airlift relief supplies
from Multan to flood victims in Punjab Province.
The ASDF cargo plane carried power generating equipment and other supplies for
the helicopter fleet. The first two Japanese choppers are due arrive in Multan
on Thursday.
Japanese relief operations are expected to begin before the end of the month
after GSDF engineers reassemble the helicopters and conduct test flights.
The first group of 50 GSDF troops arrived in Multan on Sunday.
According to Pakistani defense officials, 13 helicopters provided by the
Pakistani military and the United Arab Emirates are operating out of Multan to
airlift supplies to flood victims.
Around 8.2 million people in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, have
been affected by floods and around 500,000 homes damaged.
At least 15 million people in Pakistan have been affected by the floods and
around 1 million homes damaged, according to the United Nations.
Japan is planning to provide support in airlifting victims, food and medical
supplies in the area within a radius of around 200 kilometers from Multan.
==Kyodo