Govt to Strengthen Relief Goods Deliveries before Requests

July 11, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese government confirmed at a meeting of vice ministers on Tuesday a policy of strengthening a program to send relief goods before receiving requests by municipalities affected by a disaster.

The move reflected expanding damage from the recent heavy rain that mainly hit western Japan.

The government intends to make use of reserves in the fiscal 2017 budget to offer the program for the time being. If funds prove insufficient, the government will compile a supplementary budget.

Under the active support program, the government decides what relief goods are needed for disaster-hit areas on behalf of municipalities, which tend to face worker shortages shortly after a disaster.

The program, which differs from support upon requests, was also offered when a series of powerful earthquakes severely damaged Kumamoto Prefecture in 2016.

The central government will move forward with providing water, food, air conditioners and temporary lavatories.

It was the first meeting of a vice-ministerial team set up at the instruction of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday to support lives of people affected by the worst rain disaster in decades.

During the meeting, Abe demanded that the team, headed by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita, respond to the disaster by making decisions and taking measures quickly beyond the boundaries of ministries and agencies. Jiji Press