Applying Streamlined Disaster Assessments After the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake
Overview
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will apply streamlined disaster assessments for large-scale disasters to support the early restoration of damaged agricultural, forestry, and fisheries facilities, following the advance announcement that the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake would be designated as a Major Severe Disaster. The measure identifies the eligible facilities, streamlining procedures, and eligible areas, reducing the workload and time required for disaster assessments.
Key points
- Streamlined disaster assessments will be applied to agricultural, forestry, and fisheries facilities.
- The eligible areas center on Kumamoto Prefecture and also include Nagasaki Prefecture, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kagoshima Prefecture, and Kumamoto City.
- The assessment period and the period for preparing documentation will be shortened, promoting the early restoration of damaged facilities.
- The upper limits for desk-based assessments and the amounts subject to approval deferment will be raised, and drawings and other materials will be simplified.
Overview
Following the advance announcement that the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake would be designated as a Major Severe Disaster, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will apply a system supporting the early restoration of affected areas. The eligible areas are those where the number of damaged locations reported to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries exceeds the average number of damaged locations over the past 5 years, excluding Major Severe Disasters. Eligibility is calculated based on damage reports as of August 2, 2026, and additional areas may be covered later based on subsequent investigation results.
Impact
Raising the upper limit for desk-based assessments will reduce the number of on-site investigations and shorten the assessment period. Raising the amount subject to approval deferment will reduce the number of cases held pending approval, enabling projects to begin earlier. Simplifying drawings and photographs will shorten the period for preparing assessment materials. These measures will reduce the workload and time required by affected municipalities and other parties, supporting the early restoration of damaged facilities and the reconstruction of affected areas.
Details
Eligible facilities are farmland, agricultural facilities, forest roads, and agricultural, forestry, and fisheries joint-use facilities covered by the Temporary Measures Act, as well as coasts and fishing ports covered by the Cost-Sharing Act. Under the streamlining measures, drawings and other parts of assessment design documents will be simplified by using aerial photographs, representative cross-sectional drawings, and other materials. The eligible areas are Kumamoto Prefecture for farmland, agricultural facilities, and forest roads; Nagasaki Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, Miyazaki Prefecture, and Kagoshima Prefecture for agricultural-related joint-use facilities; Kumamoto Prefecture for fisheries-related joint-use facilities and fisheries-related coasts; and Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City for fishing ports. The system has been in place since January 13, 2017.