Japan Govt to Set Up Fund for Recovery of Quake-Hit Noto Peninsula

   Tokyo, April 23 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday instructed related ministers to create a fund for the medium- to long-term recovery of areas damaged in the Jan. 1 Noto Peninsula earthquake, which mainly struck Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan.
   The fund is expected to be established in June, in line with the schedules of disaster-affected local assemblies.
   At a meeting of the government's support headquarters for recovery and reconstruction after the 7.6-magnitude quake, Kishida pointed out, "With four months having passed since the earthquake, some people are worried that they won't be able to return to Noto." He said the government will work to fully support restoration of the affected areas.
   Also at the meeting, held in the prime minister's office, Kishida guided related ministers to speed up demolition of damaged homes using public funds, in cooperation with related prefectural governments, including Ishikawa. The number of on-site groups managing the recovery process will be increased from 100 to 600, and the central government aims to enable by July two-way traffic on the Noetsu and Noto-Satoyama Kaido expressways, currently one-way in some sections.

(2024/04/23-18:01)

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