TOKYO, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Ambulance dispatches in Japan's capital Tokyo are increasing at a pace faster than last year when the annual total hit a record high, government data showed Saturday.
As of last Sunday, the number of ambulance dispatches in Tokyo since the beginning of this year came to 417,001, up by over 20,100 from the same period a year earlier, according to preliminary data released by the Tokyo Fire Department.
If the number continues to increase at this pace, this year's total may exceed the record high of 872,075 logged in 2022, it said.
The average time for an ambulance to arrive at the scene of an emergency was nine minutes and 25 seconds in January-May this year, data showed.
Although the number of ambulance workers has increased, the time has not been shortened significantly from last year's average of nine minutes and 43 seconds, it added. ■
