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On July 10, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a meeting of the Team to Support the Daily Lives of Disaster Victims of the Heavy Rain of July 2018, at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
The Prime Minister said in his opening address,
 
“Amidst the rising heat, many people in the affected areas have had no choice but to lead difficult lives as evacuees. Providing attentive support to the victims is an urgent task.
 
The establishment of this vice-ministerial Team to Support the Daily Lives of Disaster Victims is aimed at enabling timely and appropriate responses to the needs of disaster victims through swift decision-making, regardless of the respective boundaries of ministries and agencies.
 
The situation on the ground is changing every moment. It is important to follow through with a hands-on approach. This team has already commenced its activities with an organizing meeting, which was held yesterday, and various operations have already commenced such as supplying everyday necessities, securing the distribution network, dispatching personnel to the affected municipalities and improving the living environments at evacuation shelters, as well as securing temporary housing. Today, we also made the decision to utilize a contingency fund to further strengthen push-mode support to provide emergency relief supplies such as water, food, air conditioners, and temporary toilets.
 
Circumstances permitting, I will also visit each of the affected areas to inspect the state of the damage, and listen to the needs of victims and the affected municipalities. I plan to first visit Okayama Prefecture tomorrow.
 
I would like everyone to proactively identify the needs of the affected areas based on firsthand information by sending your staff to the frontlines and other possible means to make speedy decisions as top administrative officials and implement the necessary measures swiftly.”