Japan parliament prepares for quake with foldable helmets

The exercise was part of an earthquake drill led by Lower House of Parliament Speaker Tadamori.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese lawmakers prepared for emergencies in parliament on Tuesday (November 26) -- by putting on foldable helmets.

The exercise was part of an earthquake drill led by Lower House of Parliament Speaker Tadamori Oshima, who told the lawmakers to put the white helmets and stay calm in case of an emergency.

Earthquakes frequently rock Japan.

In 2011, a massive earthquake set off a tsunami which destroyed a wide swath of Japan’s northeastern coastline and also triggered a nuclear reactor meltdown. Around 18,000 people died or were classified as missing after the so-called triple disaster.