Japan Mulls Moving Capital over Disaster Worries

A handout picture taken and released by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) 13 April 2011 shows a fire in the facilities takling seawater samples at Fukushima nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture. Photo by EPA/BGNES

As powerful earthquakes continue to jolt Japan and radiation levels near Tokyo are rising, the Asian country's authorities are considering moving the capital to another city.

The most probable location for a new capital are Osaka and Nagoya, according to ITAR-TASS. Both cities are located near international airports.

The main conditions the new capital has to provide are a population over 50 000 and a sufficient capacity to accommodate the parliament, the government, the Emperor's residency and the foreign diplomatic missions.

According to experts, should a 7.2 magnitude earthquake shake Tokyo, the casualties will be around 11 000, some 210 000 will be injured and the material damage will be worth about USD 1 B