TOKYO: Japan sent a second group of 55 people from the Japan International Emergency Rescue Team to Turkiye with four search dogs, the Japanese Embassy tweeted on Wednesday. The embassy in Turkiye said: “Team members show a firm determination to do their best to save victims while preventing collateral damage.” On Monday night, Japan sent its first emergency rescue team to Turkiye, which was hit by a massive earthquake the same day. There have been no reports of Japanese people killed or injured in the earthquake, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Tuesday. “While working to ensure the safety of Japanese expatriates, we will consider necessary support for areas affected by the quake,” he added. On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police Department of Tokyo sent its emergency rescue team comprising 14 personnel and four search dogs to help find people missing in the quake. “I want you to cooperate closely and make all-out efforts to perform your mission,” MPD Superintendent General Hiroshi Kojima told the team. The Tokyo Fire Department has also dispatched six workers to Turkiye. The Embassy of Japan in Turkiye said on Twitter that the earthquake that occurred caused many casualties. “In response to the request of the Government of the Turkish Republic, the first group of 18 people of the Japan International Emergency Rescue Team (JDR) immediately set out for Turkiye.” The Embassy of Japan in Syria took to Twitter to pay condolences to the lives lost due to the earthquake. The tweet said: “Embassy of Japan in Syria expresses its heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families, and its sympathy to the injured people in Syria, Türkiye and the other disaster affected countries.” Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio sent a message of condolence to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday after the major earthquake struck the country. In the message, Kishida said that he was deeply saddened and expressed his heartfelt condolences for those who lost their lives in the quake and his sympathy for the affected people. Kishida also said that Japan will always stand by Turkiye. At around 4:17 a.m. local time on Monday, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurred in the southeastern part of Turkiye. Other large quakes followed soon after. *With JIJI Press This article was first published in Arab News Japan