Japan to provide special grants for quake-hit Kumamoto

Résumé détaillé

Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae says the government plans to allocate 52 billion yen, or about 325 million dollars, in special allocation tax grants for the Kumamoto…

Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae says the government plans to allocate 52 billion yen, or about 325 million dollars, in special allocation tax grants for the Kumamoto prefectural government's planned reconstruction fund. The money will be used for disaster-hit areas affected by a massive earthquake that struck the prefecture in July.

Takaichi announced the plan on Friday at a meeting of the recovery and reconstruction headquarters for the Kumamoto earthquake.

She said in the meeting that it is important for the central, prefectural and municipal governments to share their goals and challenges and steadily carry out concrete measures for the "creative reconstruction" of quake-hit areas.

The prime minister called on Cabinet members to promote assistance to affected areas by closely cooperating with relevant local governments under the initiative of the National Disaster Management Agency.

Takaichi also said the government will support programs that meet the needs of local residents. Such measures include assistance programs for those who had been affected by multiple disasters and responses to problems unique to the affected areas, such as the restoration of wells.

She instructed relevant ministers to prioritize improving the living environment of evacuees, including the maintenance and improvement of evacuation shelters, in preparation for the first winter after the quake, and help quake-hit businesses to resume operations.

Kumamoto Governor Kimura Takashi, who took part in the meeting online, expressed gratitude to the government's plan to allocate the special tax grants to the prefectural fund. He also asked for the government's continued support.

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