National Route 325 will be developed on an agency basis under our direct control. In implementing measures, the stabilization of collapsed slopes and the integrated recovery of national highways and railways will be required, such that we hope to quickly restore and resume operations through the orchestration of the collective technical strengths of the national government for this purpose.

The government has designated disasters caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake as extraordinary disasters according to the Act on Large-Scale Disaster Restoration Note $ ^{11} $ to enable the national government to take over restoration work on bridges, tunnels, and roads subject to administration by disaster-affected local governments. This will allow us to carry out restoration work on the Kumamoto-Takamori Section (a prefectural highway), which includes the Tawarayama Tunnel for which a request was received from the government of Kumamoto, and on the Tochinoki-Tateno Section (a village road), which includes the Aso Choyo Ohashi Bridge for which a request was received from Minami-Aso-mura, on an agency basis under the direct control of the national government and fully engage in rapid recovery efforts accordingly.

## I nitiatives for the revival of tourism, including in terms of the recovery of tourism resources

With respect to the tourism sector, the facilities and equipment of inns and hotels sustained direct damage, as well as indirect damage through cancellations of accommodations and other such factors. The MLIT is engaged in financing measures and the transmission of information to promote a recovery in tourism demand in collaboration with the relevant ministries and agencies in accordance with requests for support concerning the reconstruction of tourism in Kyushu as received from local areas.

Kumamoto Castle, an iconic tourism resource in Kumamoto, and its surroundings also suffered significant damage.

In light of its jurisdiction over city parks, the MLIT is slated to support recovery construction projects for park facilities $ ^{Note\ 12} $ in collaboration with concerned parties by holding liaison and coordination meetings with the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the governments of Kumamoto City and Kumamoto Prefecture.

With respect to measures for the reconstruction of tourism in Kyushu, the government plans to put together a general support program for the reconstruction of tourism in Kyushu in short order and is engaged in efforts to promote the reconstruction of tourism as quickly as possible by closely cooperating with local governments.

## Supplementary budget

In order to support efforts to restore infrastructure, develop temporary housing, and rebuild the lives of disaster victims, a supplementary budget totaling 778 billion JPY was enacted on May 17, 2016.

## Conclusion

As stated in the above text, the MLIT has been dispatching TEC-FORCE personnel from across the nation to disaster-affected municipalities since the disaster first struck and has mobilized lifesaving rescue efforts, shipped relief goods for disaster-affected residents, responded to large-scale sediment-related disasters, assessed the risks posed by buildings, supported efforts to rebuild lives, and promoted the recovery of infrastructure.

We have also promoted the flexible use of hotels, inns, and ships for evacuees, prepared a system for supplying temporary housing, and secured public housing as measures in support of disaster victims.

Safety and security underpin all economic activities and the lives of all citizens and the securing of safety and security constitutes a fundamental function of social capital. Systematic enhancements to structural measures in concert with non-structural measures that promote rapid evacuations in response to intensifying natural disasters and large-scale disasters are important in Japan, a country that possesses a national land structure and regional structure that can be described as vulnerable.