TOKYO/ULAN BATOR, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government said Monday it takes seriously a massive steppe fire that broke out in Mongolia earlier this month in connection with activities by a Japanese telecom firm's subsidiary, local media reported.
"We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the Mongolian people," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference in Tokyo, adding that Japan will maintain close communication with Mongolia and cooperate in efforts to restore the damaged area.
The blaze erupted on Oct. 8 in the Numrug Strictly Protected Area in Dornod Province, eastern Mongolia. The flames were fully extinguished on Oct. 16 after eight days of round-the-clock operations by Mongolian emergency teams.
On Oct. 20, Japanese telecommunications giant KDDI acknowledged that the fire was linked to activities by its Mongolian subsidiary Mobicom, in which senior Japanese executives participated.
Preliminary data released by Mongolia's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change showed that the fire had scorched about 530,000 hectares of land, including some 470,000 hectares within the Numrug Strictly Protected Area, accounting for 79.8 percent of the reserve's total area.
Experts said the fire may have affected not only grasslands but also riverbanks, wetlands and other ecosystems, with its broader environmental impact requiring a comprehensive assessment. ■
