The Chinese Ministry of Commerce says China will provide 30 million yuan worth of emergency humanitarian assistance to Japan to help in the disaster relief.

A cargo plane with the first batch of relief materials has left Shanghai for Japan. The aviation regulator says a chartered China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777 aircraft carried 100 tonnes of materials worth 10 million yuan to the quake-hit country. The relief goods include blankets, tents and emergency lights.

Earlier on Sunday, China sent a 15-member international rescue team to help with search and rescue operations.