June 2020

Joetsu City newsletter

KOHO JOETSU
Useful information for foreigners living in the Joetsu area was selected from the “Japanese version of KOHO JOETSU”.

Edited & Published by Joetsu International Network (JOIN)
1914-3 Tsuchihashi Joetsu, Niigata 943-0821 TEL: 025-527-3615 FAX: 025-522-8240
E-mail: join@valley.ne.jp

HP: http://www.join-web.net/

From now through the rainy season, let’s prepare for possible disasters●Make sure to refer to the Hazard Maps
Please be sure to check the risks regarding possible disasters around your home beforehand by referring to FloodHazard Maps and Landslide Maps. Also, be sure that you are aware of locations of evacuation centers/areas andevacuation routes.
●Ensure your safety by following appropriate evacuation measures.
Be sure to establish your own escape routes such as going upstairs to evacuate at home (a.k.a. vertical evacuation)
and/or by checking locations of high and robust buildings suitable for evacuation. Take appropriate evacuation
measures in response to an evacuation advisory or instructions issued by the city.
●Keep careful track of important information such as weather reports and forecasts.
Get information regarding the weather, rainfall and/or water levels through TV, radio and/or the Internet.
■Notes related to disaster prevention●What are the guidelines for evacuation when there is a danger of spreading infections?
・In order to avoid evacuation centers/areas crowded with many people, please consider evacuating to houses ofPeople you know, relatives or vertical evacuation at your home.
・Evacuate not only with emergency food but a thermometer and masks.
・Thoroughly wash hands and keep rooms in the evacuation center properly ventilated.
・If you start feeling sick in an evacuation center, inform a staff member of your conditions immediately.
●What measures will evacuation centers take?
They will keep space between evacuees, and they will completely clean, disinfect and ventilate the area regularly.
The center will provide an isolated space for those who feel sick, and health care officials will make rounds to checkevacuees’ health conditions in the center.

Economic countermeasures・Daily life-support programs ………………

Below are some of the major support programs that the government and the city are currently carrying out. Because some ofthese may be revised or changed hereafter, please check the city’s website for further details and latest information.

【For individuals】■Special fixed amount cash payment
The payment for all eligible people who can receive 100,000 yen each per household will be transferred to a bankaccount specified by the householder.
▶Who’s eligible ・・・ All residents who are listed on the basic resident register as of April 27 th, 2020.
▶Inquiries・・・・ Somu Kanri-Ka Tokubetsu Teigaku Kyufu Jimu-shitsu(Special Fixed Amount Cash Payment office of the General Affairs Administrative Division)(☎025-526-5111）■Temporary special benefits for households with children
10,000 yen per child will be transferred to a bank account that is designated for Childcare Allowance.
▶Who’s eligible ・・・ All children born between April 2nd, 2004 and March 31st, 2020
(Exception: children who are currently receiving Special Benefits Allowance from a supporter
whose income is more than the payment amount limit).
▶Inquiries ・・・ Kodomo-ka (Child Welfare Division)( ☎025-526-5111、Ext. 1711、1162）■Injury and sickness allowance▶Who’s eligible ・・・ Employees who cannot work for more than three days because of the novel coronavirus
infection or those who are at high risk of infection and cannot be paid for lost work days.
▶Period covered ・・・ For lost work days between January 1st 2020 and September 30th 2020
▶Application and Inquiries ・・・ Kokumin Nenkin-ka (National Pension Division)（☎025-526-5111、Ext. 1611、1138）■Support program for Social and Daily Living of impoverished individuals (Housing Security benefits)
All or part of house rent will be subsidized for those who have difficulty paying their rent because of decreased
income due to their leaving their job or having a prolonged absence from work. This program will be in effect for acertain period of time.
▶Application and consultation hours ・・・ From 8:30 am through 5:15 pm on weekdays▶Inquiries ・・・・ Contact Sokatsu Shien Senta- (District Support Center) in your district or Fukushi-ka(Welfare Services Division) （☎025-526-5111、Ext. 1679）【For employers】■Joetsu city’s Grant for Employment Adjustment Subsidy application▶Who’s eligible ・・・ Small- and medium-sized businesses that have their principal place of business in the city andhave commissioned a consultant, including a Labor and Social Security Attorney, to prepare
required documents for grants due to suspension of business due to the novel coronavirus
infection.

▶Amount of subsidy ・・・ One half of the actual commission fee (The whole amount of the fee will be subsidized
when a company has 20 or fewer employees.) ※ The upper limit is 100,000 yen▶Application・Inquiries ・・・ Send applications by mail to Sangyo Seisaku-ka (Industrial Policy Division) before June
30th (Tue). Those postmarked on or before June 30th will be accepted.
（☎025-526-5111、Ext. 1755、1266）■Joetsu city’s Emergency Subsidies for Business Continuity (revised on May 11th )The city will provide a grant for an amount equivalent to three-month’s rent that is stated on a lease contract.
▶Eligible ・・・・ Small- and medium-sized businesses that meet all of the following conditions:①Sales amount dropped by 20% or more compared to the same month last year
②Its principal place of business is located in the city
③The business is running▶Applications ・・・ Send applications by mail to Sangyo Seisaku-ka (Industrial Policy Division) before June 30th(Tue).
Those postmarked on or before June 30th will be accepted.（☎025-526-5111、Ext. 1755、1266）■Joetsu city’s subsidy for Promoting Shops’ Renovations project
The city will provide a grant for part of the expenses needed for practicing prevention measures against the COVID
19 infection such as installing partitions▶Inquiries ・・・ For details, contact Shogyo・Chushin Shigaichi Kasseika Sushin-shitsu(Commercial Activities・City Center Vitalization Office) before December 11th(Fri)（☎025-526-5111、Ext. 1826、1827）【For individuals and employers】■Granting of moratoriums on municipal tax payment, gas, water and sewage bills Please contact for details including
application requirements.
▶Inquiries ・・・・ Shuno-ka (Collection Division) for municipal taxes（☎025-526-5111、Ext. 1233、1688）
Gasu Suido Kyoku Ryoukin Senta- (Gas & Water Tariff Center) for gas, water and sewage bills（☎025-522-7030）

Let’s keep practicing the “New Lifestyle!”…………………………………
①Keeping physical distance, ②Wearing a mask,③ Washing hands◦Keep two meters, or at least 1 meter, distance between yourself and others.
◦Choose outdoor rather than indoor activities if you go out to have fun◦Avoid standing right in front of others during conversation as much as possible◦Wear a mask when you talk or stay indoors after being outside of your house even if you have no symptoms◦Wash your hands and face first when you get home, then change your clothes and take a shower as soon as possible.
◦Wash your hands really well with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer, for at least 30 seconds.
※ Pay strict attention to your health, especially when you meet people such as the elderly or those with chronic
diseases, who may be at higher risk for severe illness from the coronavirus.

Prevention measures related to traveling◦Avoid coming and going to and from areas where infections have spread.
◦Try to avoid returning to your hometown and/or traveling for leisure, and don’t make unnecessary business trips.
◦Keep a record of people whom you met and where you met them in case you get infected.
◦Be aware of how the infection is spreading in areas where you plan to travel.

Routines for daily life

◦Wash and sanitize your hands frequently ◦Make sure to practice good etiquette when coughing◦Ventilate rooms frequently ◦Keep physical distance ◦Avoid the three Cs (avoid closed spaces with poor ventilation,
crowded places with many people in close proximity to each other and close-contact settings with close-rangeconversation) ◦Check your health condition and measure your body temperature. If you have a fever or cold-like
symptoms, do not go out if you don’t have to. Stay at home and try to treat your symptoms there.
Focus your attention on these measures and incorporate them into your daily life in ways such as: making a plan forwhat to buy before going out for shopping and do the shopping quickly, using food delivery and/or take-away
services, avoiding eating in a large group, jogging in a small group and so on. Also, let’s start incorporating new
approaches to work such as remote working, online meetings and staggered commuting.
【Consultation on infections】
If you think you’ve been infected, please contact “kikoku-sha・sesshoku-sha sodan senta-”(The Novel Coronavirus Infections Consultation Center for Returnees and People who might have contacted the virus).
Please contact us if you meet one of the following three conditions:
You have any one of the following conditions: difficulty breathing, a strong feeling of fatigue or physical weariness,or high body temperature.
・If you are pregnant or at higher risk for serious illness (you are elderly or have an underlying medical condition) andalso have mild cold-like symptoms such as coughing or a fever.
・You do not meet the aforementioned conditions but you have mild cold-like symptoms such as coughing and/or alingering fever
Note: please note that you must contact us if you have symptoms for four days or more and/or if you need to keep
taking antipyretics to reduce fever.
▶Contact for consultation
Joetsu Hoken Jo (Joetsu Healthcare Center)（☎025-524-6134、Fax 025-524-6998）【Weekdays】 From 8:30 am through 5:15 pm【Saturday, Sundays and National holidays】 From 9 am through 5 pm
【Other than the above listed hours】 Joetsu Chiiki Shinko-kyoku (Security Guards’ Room of the Joetsu Regional
Development and Promotion Bureau ☎025-526-9317) can take your call.
Please contact Joestu-shi Kenko Sodan Ko-ryu senta(the city’s health counseling call center) for inquiries about symptoms and/or infection prevention,▶Contact for consultation ・・・City office(☎025-526-5111)【Weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays】 From 8:30 am to 5:15 pm