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On July 9, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the second meeting of the Emergency Response Headquarters for the Heavy Rain in July 2018 at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
The Prime Minister said in his opening address,
 
“The record-breaking heavy rains have caused extremely enormous damage, with over 100 people now dead or missing.
 
We have increased the number of our front-line personnel to 73,000 people and are exerting every effort for rescue and relief given the large number of people whose safety has still not been confirmed and other issues.
 
The provision of attentive support for the people affected by the disaster is an urgent task as the weather becomes extremely hot. Already, since this morning, food has begun arriving at evacuation centers. In addition, we will ramp up personnel support for the affected municipalities, including though the dispatch of disaster management coordination supporting personnel from today. I have issued instructions for the establishment of a cross-ministerial Team in Charge of Assisting the Lives of Disaster Victims so that the Government can quickly and robustly advance the provision of further daily supports for the people affected by this disaster.
 
Through this team, the Government and the municipalities will coordinate closely and work as one in order to ensure that supports definitely reach those affected by the disaster through push-mode support, anticipating various needs, such as providing relief supplies, securing distribution channels to that end, dispatching personnel to the affected municipalities, preparing living environments at evacuation centers including the installation of air conditioners, and securing temporary housing.
 
In addition, the Act Concerning Support for Reconstructing Livelihoods of Disaster Victims has been applied to Hiroshima City and, as such, financial support will be provided to those who have completely lost their homes during this disaster and others affected by the disaster. The Government will prepare thorough fiscal measures to ensure that the municipalities in each of the affected prefectures can respond to emergency needs and recovery with all their effort without worrying about their fiscal conditions.
 
I would like everyone to exert every possible effort to address the situation, taking the initiative, while working closely together with the affected municipalities and paying close attention to the needs of the people affected by the disaster.”