Home > News > The Prime Minister in Action > April 2016 > Visit to Oita Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture for an Inspection of the State of the Damage Caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake
The Prime Minister in Action
Visit to Oita Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture for an Inspection of the State of the Damage Caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake
April 29, 2016
[Provisional Translation]
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Oita Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture in order to gauge the state of the damage caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake.
The Prime Minister first observed the state of the damage at the site of a landslide on the Oita Expressway aerially in a helicopter.
Afterwards, the Prime Minister observed the state of the damage in Yufu City, Oita Prefecture. Following that, he visited the Yufuin Community Center, where he heard an explanation on the state of the damage from Mr. Katsusada Hirose, Governor of Oita Prefecture, Mr. Hobun Shuto, Mayor of Yufu City, and Mr. Yasuhiro Nagano, Mayor of Beppu City, and others, and then exchanged views with them.
Prime Minister Abe then visited the Eastern Clean Center in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, where he offered words of encouragement to workers. Following that, he visited a shopping area, where he exchanged views with people involved with running the shopping area.
Later, the Prime Minister visited Nishihara Village Hall in Nishihara Village, Aso County, Kumamoto Prefecture. There he heard an explanation on the state of the damage and the construction of temporary housing from Mr. Kazuhiko Hioki, Mayor of Nishihara Village, and others, and exchanged views with them. After that, Prime Minister Abe visited an evacuation center in Nishihara Village, and offered words of encouragement to the evacuees there.
After his visit to the affected areas, the Prime Minister said,
“In Nishihara Village, I listened to the experiences of people who have been affected by this disaster and who now have to lead difficult lives for a protracted period of time at the evacuation center. They communicated to me their deep desire to return as soon as possible to leading peaceful daily lives. Above all, the securing of housing in which people can live with peace of mind is an urgent issue. The construction of temporary housing will at last start from today. I intend to exert every effort to ensure that as many people as possible can move into these houses as soon as possible, where they will be able to live with peace of mind.
We are also aiming to establish this year’s supplementary budget as swiftly as possible. By establishing it quickly, we will accelerate the reconstruction of the livelihoods of SMEs, small business owners, and people in the agricultural sector; the rebuilding of housing; and overall restoration and reconstruction efforts. Beppu, Yufuin, Aso, and Kumamoto City are all tourist sites that are truly representative of Kyushu. One might even call them the face of Kyushu. A decline in tourists to these areas will not only have an impact on the local economy and the Kyushu region, it will also be a great blow to Japan in our work to promote ourselves as a tourism-oriented country. I am sure it must be very difficult to continue to live here given the continuing aftershocks. Nevertheless, despite these conditions, people are continuing initiatives to find a way to maintain employment in Yufuin, and are working hard toward reconstruction. People in the shopping areas of Kumamoto as well are working hard to find a way to maintain their current livelihoods and not lose their economic vigor, even in the face of such difficult circumstances. It has been deeply moving to see that.
We will continue to exert every effort with the mindset of doing everything that is possible for the affected areas. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued warnings that aftershocks are likely to continue. The Government will do everything in its power to thoroughly protect everyone.”