Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2013 January 23 - 29 [WELFARE]

1995 quake victims in Itami can continue living in public housing

Survivors of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Itami City will be able to continue living in public housing units the city has rented from private owners.

Itami is the second municipality after Takarazuka City which decided on providing an extension of the period of residence for publicly-rented housing units to quake victims.

The Itami City government on January 25 also decided to allow all 39 families to remain where they currently live if they wish, even after the city’s leasing contracts with private institutions expire in four years.

The decision is unlike that of Hyogo prefecture, and Kobe and Nishinomiya cities which have adopted policies to force quake victims to move out of leased public residences in accordance with the expiration of leasing contracts.

The struggle to oppose this policy is increasing in Kobe and Nishinomiya cities, having succeeded in getting the Hyogo governor to temporarily approve the extension.

Related past article:
> More than 1,000 Hanshin-quake victims died in solitude [January 17, 2013]
> Kobe Earthquake victims fight against local governments’ relocation order [January 17, 2013]
> Survivors of Kobe Earthquake fear for losing houses [January 17, 2011]
> After 17 years, Hanshin-Awaji quake victims still suffering [January 17, 2012]