U.S. Marine team conducts drill to prepare for nuke disaster

TOKYO, April 9 Kyodo -
A U.S. Marine team versed in radiological disaster response conducted a drill Saturday at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo to prepare to assist Japan upon request in dealing with its worst nuclear crisis continuing at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
All 145 Marines of the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force's
Initial Response Force who arrived in Japan earlier this month took part in the drill along with six troops from a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force team capable of dealing with nuclear, biological and chemical attacks.
The drill, which was open to the press, was conducted under the assumption of a nuclear disaster and included rescue and decontamination for people exposed to radiation.
Marines wearing special protective suits and masks trained to rescue an injured person by using a stretcher slung over from the top of a building, an ability the SDF lacks, according to GSDF officers.
They also trained for removing radioactive substances by water at a large tent. With the method, 600 people can be decontaminated within an hour.
The CBIRF consists of about 450 personnel in two initial response forces who are trained in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosion operations, and can detect and identify agents, search for and rescue casualties and decontaminate and provide emergency medical care to those exposed.
Set up in 1996, after the AUM Shinrikyo cult's deadly sarin nerve gas attacks on Tokyo subway lines in 1995, the team has dealt with the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States and terrorist threats, but was dispatched abroad for the first time.
The IRF brought a remotely controlled robot and analyzer equipment to deal with the nuclear crisis that evolved after the March 11 massive earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima nuclear plant some 220 kilometers northeast of Tokyo.
The team will stay at the Yokota base for the time being, while coordinating its operations with Japan's Self-Defense Forces.