May 31, 2016 Support to Information Transfer from Local Governments affected by Kumamoto Earthquake Disaster

Affairs and Communications (MIC) started working on maintaining means of telecommunications and broadcasting and making network environmental improvements at shelters immediately after the occurrence of the Kumamoto Earthquake disaster on April 14. Furthermore, MIC has been providing a wide range of information on its initiatives along with private businesses and organizations’ activities for the reconstruction of disaster-affected areas. It has passed more than a month since the disaster took place. A large number of people are still forced to continue living a prolonged live in shelters, however, and it has become important to ensure the delivery of life support information to all affected residents and give a sense of safety to foreigners who tend to be isolated from information. With consideration of the situation, MIC has been expanding initiatives, including the provision of a web guide on measures of communications and broadcasting use toward the life reconstruction of disaster-affected people and the restoration of disaster-affected areas. MIC will continue supporting the transfer of information from all disaster-affected local governments in accordance with the situation of the disaster-affected areas toward their restoration and reconstruction. MIC considers that these initiatives will be not only for the disaster-affected local governments but also for all local governments throughout Japan in preparation for large-scale disasters.