• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

 
On July 21, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Hiroshima Prefecture to inspect the state of the damage caused by the heavy rain of July 2018.
 
The Prime Minister first visited Hongo Lifelong Learning Center in Mihara City, which is serving as an evacuation center, where he listened to evacuees, and observed the bathing support activities provided by Self-Defense Force (SDF) units. In addition, the Prime Minister received a written request from Mr. Yoshinori Tenma, Mayor of Mihara City. The Prime Minister then visited Chomin Center (Community Center) in Saka Town, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, which is serving as an evacuation center, where he listened to evacuees.
 
Subsequently, the Prime Minister visited a site affected by landslide in Yano Town, Hiroshima City, and encouraged police department, fire department, and SDF units engaged in the search for missing people. He then visited sites affected by landslide in Kumano Town in Aki District and Kure City. Afterwards, the Prime Minister visited Yasuura Community Development Center, which is serving as an evacuation center in Kure City, where he listened to evacuees. Following that, at the Kure City Hall, the Prime Minister exchanged views with Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima City, Mr. Yoshiake Shinhara, Mayor of Kure City, Mr. Takayuki Yoshida, Mayor of Saka Town, and others, and received written requests.    
 
After the visit, the Prime Minister said,
 
“First and foremost, I would like to pray for peace for the souls of those who lost their lives in the recent heavy rain and offer my deepest condolences to their bereaved families. I would also like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to all who have been affected by this disaster.
 
I have just visited several affected sites and become even more aware of the tremendous damages caused by the recent heavy rain or the threats posed by natural disasters. At the evacuation centers, evacuees told me how scared they were and how they still have flashbacks of the fear they felt at the time. They also shared with me their earnest thoughts and demands, such as their challenging living conditions at the evacuation centers, in particular those in amidst of this extreme heat, and their concerns for the future. Hiroshima also suffered catastrophic damages from landslides four years ago and many precious lives were lost at that time. The Government has taken these experiences as valuable lessons to proceed with a review of our disaster responses. Despite these efforts, landslides occurred in over 300 locations from the recent heavy rain, and regrettably, many became victims of the disaster. We will conduct a thorough investigation to identify the issues from multiple perspectives, such as how evacuation points were arranged prior to the event and how weather information as well as the evacuation advisories and orders issued by the affected municipalities fed back to their actions to evacuate. After having done this, we will take responses swiftly and the necessary adequate measures.
 
On July 24, next week, we will designate the recent series of disasters as a ‘Disaster of Extreme Severity.’ We have also carried out further assessments since we were set to designate and decided to include additional assistance measures. For example, we will make kominkans (community learning centers), libraries, and non-public schools eligible for disaster recovery assistance. Furthermore, we will also make an arrangement that people who have been forced to take work leave because their companies were affected by the disaster are regarded as ‘unemployed,’ who are eligible to receive allowances, even if they have not actually left their jobs.                  
 
I will continue to fully engage in these works from the viewpoint of the people affected. With respect to budgetary measures, I would like the affected municipalities to continue their disaster response and recovery work without worrying about fiscal aspects. 
 
The Government will continue to exert every effort towards providing supports for their daily lives, rebuilding their lives, and restoring ‘nariwai (occupations and livelihoods that sustain people’s daily lives),’ with the intention of doing everything possible in advance, upholding the perspective of the people affected.” 
 
Lastly, the Prime Minister inspected the state of damage from the sky on an SDF helicopter.