Japan to Move Up Grants for Downpour-Hit Municipalities

July 13, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's internal affairs ministry said Friday that it will move up the distribution of some regular tax revenue grants to municipalities affected by the recent torrential rain that has severely damaged western Japan.

A total of 34,651 million yen, initially allocated for September, will be distributed to 58 municipalities in 10 prefectures on Tuesday. The 10 prefectures are Gifu, Kyoto, Hyogo, Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Ehime, Kochi and Fukuoka.

The amount of grants to be distributed earlier than schedule is the largest in the Heisei era, which started in 1989, except for the grants provided after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in western Japan, the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, and the 2016 Kumamoto quakes in southwestern Japan, according to the ministry.

"We must offer maximum support so that afflicted people can return to their lives as soon as possible," Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda told a news conference.

"I keenly feel again that the damage was very serious and extensive," Noda added.

Under the latest initiative, the city of Hiroshima will receive 3,054 million yen, the city of Okayama 2,169 million yen, the city of Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture 1,365 million yen, the city of Imabari in Ehime Prefecture 1,362 million yen and the city of Toyooka in Hyogo Prefecture 1,133 million yen. Jiji Press