Home > News > The Prime Minister in Action > April 2016 > Visit to Kumamoto Prefecture for an Inspection of the State of the Damage Caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake
The Prime Minister in Action
Visit to Kumamoto Prefecture for an Inspection of the State of the Damage Caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake
April 23, 2016
Photograph of the Prime Minister encouraging evacuees (1)
Photograph of the Prime Minister encouraging police forces
Photograph of the Prime Minister encouraging fire department members
Photograph of the Prime Minister encouraging Self-Defense Forces and TEC-FORCE
Photograph of the Prime Minister encouraging evacuees (2)
Photograph of the meeting to exchange views at the Kumamoto Prefectural Office
Photograph of the Prime Minister offering a silent prayer
Photograph of the Prime Minister making a statement
[Provisional Translation]
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Kumamoto Prefecture in order to gauge the state of damage caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake.
The Prime Minister first observed the state of damage in Mashiki Town and Minamiaso Village aerially in a helicopter.
Afterwards, in Minamiaso Village the Prime Minister offered words of encouragement to police, fire department, and Self-Defense Forces (SDF) / TEC-FORCE members, and visited an evacuation center, where he also offered words of encouragement.
Following this, Prime Minister Abe visited the Kumamoto Prefectural Office, where he heard an explanation on the state of the damage, and then had an exchange of opinions with people from Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City.
Lastly, the Prime Minister visited Mashiki Town, where he gave words of encouragement to people at an evacuation center, offered a silent prayer at the site of a collapsed building, and observed the area.
After his visit to the affected area, the Prime Minister said,
“I have seen for myself the ravages of the terrible earthquakes, and again felt just how tremendous the damage has been. It makes my heart ache to see it. I would like to once again express my condolences for those who lost their lives due to the earthquakes, and my sympathies to their families. I also want to extend my heartfelt sympathies to the injured as well as to everyone who was affected by this disaster.
In Minamiaso Village, there are still two people who we have not been able to contact. All-out search activities continue even now. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude and respect for the SDF, police, fire department, Japan Coast Guard, and medical team members who have been working around the clock on search and rescue activities in the danger zone without faltering since the onset of the disaster, and who have thus far rescued 1,200 people from collapsed houses and isolated areas.
It has been just over ten days since the onset of the earthquakes, which continue even today. The people affected by this disaster are living in mentally and physically harsh conditions in evacuation centers, with the worry that they will not see tomorrow. The Government will act as a single entity and out of sympathy for the feelings of every single person affected by this disaster as we work to rebuild their lives as quickly as possible.
More than anything, it is vital that those affected by this disaster be able to live with peace of mind. I want to keep in touch with local municipalities, including Kumamoto Prefecture, take into account the hopes and opinions of the people affected by the disaster, and cooperate with prefectures outside of Kumamoto Prefecture, to have people move into public employee housing, utilize private housing as temporary residences for evacuees, and further accelerate the construction of temporary housing.
We will reconstruct damaged public facilities and begin the full reconstruction of industries, such as the agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In order to fully support the local municipalities involved with reconstruction work, I will declare this a ‘Disaster of Extreme Severity’ (*) the day after tomorrow, and issue a Cabinet Decision on Monday.
Kumamoto Castle, which has been a symbol of Kumamoto Prefecture for 400 years since the time of Kiyomasa Kato, has been greatly damaged. I think this has been a great shock to the people of Kumamoto Prefecture.
I have been filled with a renewed conviction to do everything possible, to endeavor to take the initiative as we have done up until now and move forward with reconstruction, and to put our maximum efforts toward reconstruction, until the day when the people of Kumamoto return to smiling as they did before the disaster, and when we succeed with reconstruction such that everyone affected by disaster, including those in Kumamoto Prefecture, can live with peace of mind. I believe we should do everything we can do, including financial support.”
*A disaster that is recognized as having a significant impact on the national economy and which requires the implementation of special subsidy measures to alleviate the burden caused by the disaster on local finances and on persons affected. Once a disaster has received this designation, special financial subsidy measures are put in place, including the raising of national subsidies for disaster reconstruction projects to be implemented by local public bodies and special guarantees for small- and medium-sized enterprises.
