## Section 3 Promoting Post-Disaster Town Reconstruction and Securing Stability of Residency

## (1) Promoting Post-disaster Town Reconstruction

We are working on making smooth progress in the reconstruction projects, in accordance with residential reconstruction plans that incorporate flexible reviews of project techniques and project zones, and ingenuity, such as the stage-based execution of reconstruction projects.

By the end of March 2014, Promoting Group Relocation for Disaster Mitigation, such as the relocation of group to upland, had already secured the consent of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism which is the legal procedure for undertaking projects and all 339 districts scheduled to be relocated, based on the “Work Schedule for Housing Reconstruction,” and have already commenced construction work on 304 districts. For the land readjustment projects, all 51 districts scheduled to be done according to the “Residence Recovery Construction Time Table” are already in the project commencing stage, with construction started at 37 districts. As the reconstruction projects progress full-scale in the disaster affected areas, we need to compensate for the lack of personnel and know-how in the disaster affected municipalities, to help the projects progress smoothly.

For these reasons, in addition to supporting the progress of projects by providing personnel support to disaster-affected local public organizations, implementing procurement methods for relieving the burden of procurement operations in disaster-affected local public organizations, and utilizing the Urban Renaissance Agency, we also disseminate information by providing technical support through notifications regarding procedures for the efficient execution of reconstruction projects, and also by posting the ‘Reconstructive City Development INDEX,’ an online website for compiling support initiatives.

## (2) Securing Stability of Residency

Similar to town development, based on the residential reconstruction plan comprised of reconstruction schedules respective to district, we are working to swiftly secure stability of residency through support projects mentioned below. For victims who are able to build or obtain housing by their own means, interest rates are lowered for disaster recovery housing loans provided by the Japan Housing Finance Agency. Disaster recovery housing loans are also provided to victims who have suffered damages to their sites. Pre-existing loans are given extensions of payment term and payment deferment which are up to 5 years, as well as interest rates being lowered for loans during deferment.

Victims who face difficulties in building or obtaining housing by their own means are being provided public housing (restoration housing) by local public organizations. In addition to distributing grants to offset the cost of maintenance in these facilities and expenses resulting from lowering rent for victims, we are devising special arrangements concerning the requirements for occupant qualification and assignment of housing facilities.

Moreover, in response to the Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant Accident, we plan to secure the stability of residency for the refugees residing in evacuation zones by providing them the same accommodations as the natural disaster victims of the earthquake and tsunami, such as moving into restoration housing.

Figure II-1-3-1 Development Status of Restoration Housing (March 31, 2014)

Prefecture	Building sites	Planning initiated	Construction initiated	Construction completed	Provision plan
Iwate prefecture	107 districts	89 districts	51 districts	23 districts	Approximately 6,000 houses (11 municipalities)
4,028 houses	3,461 houses	1,862 houses	574 houses
Miyagi prefecture	237 districts	190 districts	88 districts	30 districts	Approximately 15,000 houses (21 municipalities)
11,363 houses	10,129 houses	4,757 houses	1,343 houses
Fukushima prefecture	72 districts	64 districts	36 districts	12 districts	Overall plan is yet to be decided
3,274 houses	2,944 houses	2,072 houses	357 houses

Source) MLIT