The Japanese government on Thursday designated a powerful earthquake that rocked Ishikawa Prefecture and other parts of central Japan on New Year's Day a "disaster of extreme severity," boosting subsidies for reconstruction work in affected communities.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government aims to expand its financial support for local authorities to implement measures such as the speedy reconstruction of roads and farmland following the magnitude-7.6 quake that left 213 people dead and 37 unaccounted for.Improving the living conditions of the victims and addressing their health needs h…READ FULL ARTICLE
