Overview
- The government approved a ¥147.8 billion reserve-funded recovery package to help areas hit by the July 28 earthquake, which recorded maximum intensity 7 in parts of Kumamoto.
- The package instructs the Japan Tourism Agency to design a Kyushu-wide travel subsidy that would partially cover accommodation and tour costs with proposals of up to 60 percent discounts in Kumamoto and Kagoshima.
- Immediate humanitarian measures in the plan include demolition of badly damaged homes, relief grants of up to ¥3 million for affected people, repairs to wells and faster upgrades to shelter facilities.
- Support for local economies includes higher restoration subsidies for small and midsize businesses, interest-cost relief for primary producers and possible assistance for semiconductor-related facilities damaged by the quake.
- More than 2,000 people remain in evacuation centers and tourism losses continue, so officials say the package will shift to needs-based aid delivery and balance short-term relief with steps to restore demand.