Japan’s Path
Japan's enduring economic challenges serve as both a cautionary tale and a beacon of resilience.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday visited the flood-hit Kumamoto prefecture to assess the devastation and pledged the central government’s support to local municipalities.
After arriving at Kagoshima Airport on an Air Self-Defense Force (SDF) transport plane, Abe visited a nursing home where 14 residents were killed after the Kuma River breached its banks, reports Xinhua news agency.
Abe also met Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima.
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At least 64 people were killed in Kumamoto, with 14 other prefectures also being inundated amid torrential rain which led to 105 rivers flooding, while 27 prefectures saw 316 landslides.
“Under the policy of doing all we can, we will make utmost efforts to achieve early recovery,” Abe told Kabashima, according to local reports.
He added that work world be carried out swiftly to repair highways and the flood damage caused by the overflowing Kuma River.
Abe said the central government will allocate 400 billion yen ($ billion) to be used for reconstruction and support small businesses in their recovery efforts from the disaster.
More than 75,000 residents in the prefectures of Kumamoto and Kagoshima were urged to evacuate following pounding rains earlier this month.
The Meteorological Agency has issued evacuation advisories in Nagasaki and other areas on the Kyushu region due to continuing downpours.
He said the package should be compiled by the end of the month and the Cabinet would officially decide on drawing on reserve funds to help finance it.
In 2018, more than hundred were killed due to heavy floods in parts of Japan, with dozens reportedly missing.
The rainfall that exceeded 100 millimeters (4 inches) per hour has since subsided but the Japan Meteorological Agency has kept mudslide warnings in place across Kumamoto.
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