By Lee Woo-young



Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon began a tour of disaster prevention centers and new renewable energy facilities in Japan to learn from its disaster preparedness and efficient use of energy, which he plans to use in developing a safety plan for Seoul.

Park embarked on a three-day official visit on Wednesday, arriving in Yokohama. He will visit Tokyo on Thursday and Friday.

He observed the flood control reservoir on the Tsurumi River in Yokohama. The reservoir stores rainwater during rainy spells and releases it during the dry season.

On Thursday, Park will visit the Kanagawa underground reservoir in Tokyo, which is designed to prevent flooding during torrential rain in the summer.

He also visited water purification facilities at hydroelectric and solar power plants.

City officials expect the Seoul government to learn much from the Japanese power facilities as the two crowded cities both experience energy shortages.

Park will also observe Tokyo’s sophisticated earthquake system and benchmark it for his quake preparedness plan. Park seeks to set up an disaster control system in the basement of the new city hall currently under construction.

(wylee@heraldcorp.com)