Safety first: Japanese MPs practice putting on foldable helmets in earthquake drill (VIDEO)
Video of the members of Japan’s House of Representatives trying on their disaster helmets has drawn plenty of mockery online, in light of the safety equipment’s rather unique design.
Each member of the house has a foldable helmet under their chair to prevent head injuries in the event of an earthquake or similar disaster. During the House’s 26th plenary session, all members were trained in the use of the bizarre-looking helmets, with Speaker of the House Tadamori Oshima leading the way.
地震に備えて、衆議院の本会議場で議員がヘルメットを着用する訓練が行われました。https://t.co/XeTzelofFK#nhk_newspic.twitter.com/lqaAAdfelt
— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) November 26, 2019
It goes without saying that many online mocked the unusual design of the helmets, with film references aplenty, particularly to the Star Wars franchise
— 社畜笹キッズ🎋👻🐰 (@SasakiYayozoku) November 26, 2019
いや、かぶるならコレでしょ！ pic.twitter.com/315nfGakem
— ふるの (@furuxchi) November 26, 2019
日本人の甲冑文化の伝統が国会に侵入した感じですね。余談ですが「影武者」（黒澤明監督）はやはり当初の予定の勝新太郎さん（監督と喧嘩して降板）の方がイメージに合う･･･(笑) pic.twitter.com/XFWyXGMFv8
— 𝘴𝘬𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘴 (@skymods) November 26, 2019
However, the drill is not without merit: The country experienced a magnitude 5.7 earthquake just before Typhoon Hagibis made landfall this past October. This temblor came mere months after a monstrous 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck in the Sea of Japan, triggering a tsunami warning for a period of time.
Also on rt.com Japan lifts tsunami warning after 6.5-magnitude earthquake off coastLocated in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan is prone to seismic activity, including volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The country still lives under the specter of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, which triggered a tsunami that caused the meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the most severe such disaster since the Chernobyl incident.
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