Japan Press Weekly

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2011 June 15 - 21 [TOKYO]

Tokyo gov’t to lease private housing units for disaster victims

With positive reactions to the proposals by the Japanese Communist Party, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on June 20 announced a program to lease privately-owned apartments in Tokyo and offer them to evacuees from disaster areas.

In addition, the Tokyo government said that it will improve the living standards of municipally-owned housing provided to disaster victims by installing air-conditioners and extending their deadline to move.

Under the program, the metropolitan government will provide a monthly rent of 75,000 yen in addition to maintenance fees.

Among evacuees from the disaster-hit prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima, those who need to find a place to live near schools or hospitals can apply for the program.

Evacuees who already live in privately-rented housing will also be able to apply to the program if the owners approve.

However, disaster victims can stay in the private apartments leased by the Tokyo government for only one year, shorter than the standard period of stay in temporary dwellings in the disaster-hit region.

Japanese Communist Party member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Oyama Tomoko said, “The metropolitan government’s announcement is one step forward. We will urge our government to respond to various demands of the disaster victims in Tokyo.”