The United Nations has deployed a seven-member expert team to Japan to assist the disaster-stricken nation with its relief efforts, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in Geneva on Monday.

All of the seven experts are "highly experienced staff, experienced in the coordination of disaster management and the coordination of international search and rescue," said OCHA spokesperson Elizabeth Byrs.

Their mission was to support the Japanese effort in coordinating all the international search and rescue teams currently deployed in the country.

The OCHA spokesperson said specialized UN agencies, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organization are in close contact with the Japanese authorities. All UN specialized staff were on stand-by and closely monitoring the situation, she added.