Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech at the end of a disaster drill to simulate an emergency response to a strong 7.3 magnitude quake in Tokyo on September 1, 2015. Photo: VCG

Some Japanese lawmakers giggled this week during a drill to practice the use of disaster prevention helmets, at least one of which was put on backwards, prompting Twitter users to question if they were making light of a life-and-death matter.

Video broadcast on television and other media showed Finance Minister Taro Aso smiling after donning one of the collapsible helmets.

"You never know when disaster will strike," Tadamori Oshima, the lower house speaker said. 

The drill in parliament's lower house was the second since the kits, stowed under members' seats, were introduced in 2017.

Despite getting instructions on how to unfold and wear the helmets, at least one parliamentarian put his on back-to-front. Others needed a helping hand. Some Twitter users called the lawmakers' levity off-key.

"The Speaker [of the lower house] was talking about being on alert, but others were laughing," said a Twitter user.

Reuters