Japan Mulls Fiscal Spending for Hokkaido Quake Restoration

September 7, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese government is considering fiscal spending to help restoration efforts after the powerful earthquake that hit the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Thursday, officials said Friday.

Specifically, the government is considering designating the earthquake as a disaster of extreme severity to enable extra financial assistance to affected municipalities, they said.

It is also mulling over assembling a supplementary budget, they said.

The government will act quickly to identify damage in affected areas, the officials said.

"It is important for affected municipalities to carry out restoration work promptly without worrying about funding," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.

Referring to the extra budget, Finance Minister Taro Aso said, "We'll respond as needed after getting the full picture of the damage and examining how the existing budget has been used."

Suga also said the government will ease requirements for disaster victim certificates, necessary for affected people to receive public support, to allow them to be issued quickly.

The 6.7-magnitude earthquake measured the highest level of 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in the Hokkaido town of Atsuma. Jiji Press