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Government subsidies to help Fukushima farmers restart operations

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The central government plans to set up a new subsidy system to help farmers in 12 municipalities near the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant restart their operations, according to sources.

The program represents part of the government’s efforts to promote the reconstruction of areas damaged by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region and the subsequent meltdowns at the Tokyo Electric Power Co. nuclear station.

The government will earmark around ¥7 billion for the program under a planned supplementary budget for its special account related to the 2011 disaster, the sources said Monday.

The program will help farmers buy equipment and livestock.

A support system is already available in which the 12 municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture buy facilities and equipment such as greenhouses and tractors and lend them for free to farmers aiming to get back on their feet.

But the system is inconvenient for individuals who want to resume farming operations, because it is mainly designed for group farming and other big operations. Also, approval from local assemblies is necessary to lend out the facilities and gear.

Under the new program, the Fukushima Prefectural Government will cover 75 percent of farmers’ purchase costs for farming equipment and livestock, the sources said. The upper limit on support per farmer will likely be ¥10 million, they said.

The central government will shoulder all costs incurred by prefectural government, the sources said.

The 12 municipalities are Tamura, Minamisoma, Kawamata, Hirono, Naraha, Tomioka, Okuma, Futaba, Namie, Kawauchi, Katsurao and Iitate.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/23/national/state-subsidies-works-help-fukushima-farmers-restart-operations/

August 23, 2016 Posted by | Fukushima 2016 | , , , | Leave a comment

Prefecture’s subsidies for residents near Fukushima No. 1 plant to run out next year

FUKUSHIMA – Fukushima Prefecture’s fund to provide subsidies to residents living near Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is expected to run out during fiscal 2017, sources said Tuesday.

The prefectural government will hold talks with nine municipalities around the plant this autumn to decide whether to abolish the subsidy program during fiscal 2016, which ends next March, or find a new revenue source to continue it, the sources said.

The fund finances benefits provided to some 33,770 households and offices in the nine municipalities.

The balance of the fund is expected to decline to about ¥50 million by the end of fiscal 2016 from ¥280 million a year before.

Benefits to residents near the plant began in fiscal 1981. Initially, they were provided by the central government through the prefecture.

The central government halted the grants to the prefecture at the end of fiscal 2014, after Tepco decided in January 2014 to decommission all of the reactors at the plant following its triple meltdown in March 2011.

But the prefectural government continued the provision using subsidies not given to residents whose whereabouts became unknown after the nuclear disaster started.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/29/national/prefectures-subsidies-residents-near-fukushima-no-1-plant-run-next-year/

June 29, 2016 Posted by | Fukushima 2016 | , , | Leave a comment