TOKYO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government is considering using post offices to stock up on emergency supplies, such as food, water and bedding for delivery to evacuation areas in the event of disasters, local media reported.

Under the plan, local governments will use post offices as warehouses and store disaster relief supplies in empty spaces, and have their vehicles deliver the supplies to where they are needed, Kyodo News said Sunday citing government sources.

At a time when Japan grapples with a shrinking population, the government is seeking to leverage the post offices' nationwide delivery network, which reaches sparsely populated areas to maintain services for residents, said the report.

Of some 24,000 post offices in the country, one in Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture, bordering Tokyo, entered into an agreement with the local government in 2021 to use its delivery network to transport relief supplies to evacuation centers and other locations.

The government plans to encourage the Sagamihara post office from April this year to share its knowledge with other post offices and municipalities that are also aiming to improve their disaster responses, according to Kyodo News.

The cabinet is also considering having post offices provide information about residence status to local governments to confirm people's safety in the event of a disaster, it added. Enditem

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