The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) implemented comprehensive five-item support measures for disaster-affected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small businesses following the application of the Disaster Relief Act to Senboku City, Akita Prefecture, in response to heavy rains from August 20, 2025.
Establishment of Special Consultation Counters and Response Organizations
Special consultation counters have been established at the Japan Finance Corporation, Shoko Chukin Bank, Credit Guarantee Association, Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Business Associations, Organization of Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, comprehensive business support centers, Japan Federation of Shopping Center Promotion Associations, and Small and Medium Enterprise Infrastructure Agency Tohoku Headquarters, as well as the Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry in Akita Prefecture. These provide unified response to inquiries from affected businesses, enabling efficient guidance and procedural support for multiple support programs.
Details of Financial Support Programs
As disaster recovery loans, the Japan Finance Corporation and Shoko Chukin Bank in Akita Prefecture provide financing for working capital or facility investment to support the cash flow of affected businesses. As a crucial measure, Safety Net Guarantee No. 4 is applied to Senboku City, Akita Prefecture, which is designated as a disaster relief area. This enables credit guarantee associations to provide 100% guarantees for loan amounts within a separate framework from general guarantees, making capital procurement possible under more favorable conditions than usual.
Debt Condition Relaxation and Prompt Response
For existing debts, METI has requested the Japan Finance Corporation, Shoko Chukin Bank, and Credit Guarantee Association in Akita Prefecture to provide flexible responses according to the actual circumstances of affected businesses, including payment deferrals and other condition changes, acceleration of lending procedures, and flexible collateral requirements. Additionally, for small enterprise mutual aid policyholders, the Small and Medium Enterprise Infrastructure Agency applies disaster loans, executing low-interest financing in principle on the same day.
Rapid Disaster Response and System Integration
A key characteristic of these support measures is the construction of a system that enables disaster-affected businesses to secure necessary funds for business continuity and recovery at an early stage through rapid response the day after the Disaster Relief Act application. For Safety Net Guarantee No. 4, preliminary consultations will begin at credit guarantee associations prior to the upcoming official gazette announcement, implementing considerations to minimize the gap period before system application.
The article represents the government's disaster response policy of deploying integrated support packages from consultation counter establishment to loans, guarantees, and existing debt response rapidly for small and medium enterprise support against natural disasters, aiming for early recovery of the regional economy.