Prime Minister Takaichi announced Monday that the Kumamoto earthquake will be designated as a severe disaster to expedite regional recovery efforts [1].
This designation allows the Japanese government to increase the national subsidy rate for reconstruction, reducing the financial burden on local municipalities. By applying the "hon-geki" measure, a high-level designation applicable nationwide, the state can provide more aggressive funding for the restoration of critical infrastructure.
Speaking after an inspection of the affected areas in Kumamoto Prefecture, Takaichi said the government intends to designate disaster recovery projects for public civil engineering facilities and farmland as severe disasters.
To ensure the immediate availability of funds, the administration will move to secure a budget through reserve funds. Takaichi said the cabinet will decide on the use of reserve funds exceeding 20 billion yen [1] tomorrow to strengthen and speed up the recovery process.
"To further strengthen and accelerate the process, we will decide by cabinet decision tomorrow to use reserve funds on a scale exceeding 20 billion yen and secure the necessary budget," Takaichi said [1].
The decision follows a direct assessment of the damage on the ground. The use of reserve funds allows the government to bypass the lengthy standard budget appropriation process, providing a faster response to the needs of the disaster-stricken areas in Kumamoto.
“The government intends to designate disaster recovery projects for public civil engineering facilities and farmland as severe disasters.”
The move to 'hon-geki' status signifies a maximum level of central government intervention in disaster recovery. By allocating more than 20 billion yen from reserve funds, the administration is prioritizing speed of infrastructure restoration over standard budgetary cycles, which is critical for maintaining economic stability in the Kumamoto region.
