Japan applies the 「被災者生活再建支援法」 to the disaster caused by the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake — applicable area 「熊本県」; households whose homes were totally destroyed, large-scale half-destroyed or medium-scale half-destroyed receive support money upon application
Source material is a Japanese government announcement (in Japanese); this page is a summary.
By an announcement of August 10, 2026, the 「被災者生活再建支援法」 is applied to the disaster caused by the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake, so that in the applicable area 「熊本県」 households whose homes were 全壊 (totally destroyed), 大規模半壊 (large-scale half-destroyed) or 中規模半壊 (medium-scale half-destroyed), and others, receive 被災者生活再建支援金 from the 公益財団法人都道府県センター upon application and according to the method of rebuilding the home and the like. The document, however, does not state the amount of the support money or the application counter and deadline.
Key facts
| Announcing body and date of announcement | 内閣府政策統括官（防災担当）, August 10 of 令和8年 (2026). At the end of the document it says 「熊本県においても同時発表」 (announced simultaneously by Kumamoto Prefecture as well) |
|---|---|
| The Act applied and how it came about | The 「被災者生活再建支援法」. The content of this announcement is that 熊本県 reported to the effect that 「a large number of homes have been damaged, so this is recognized as falling under a natural disaster as defined by the 被災者生活再建支援法, and the said Act is applied」 |
| 該当区域, 発生日 and 適用基準 (exactly as written in the table) | 該当区域 (applicable area) 「熊本県（くまもとけん）」 / 発生日 (date of occurrence) July 28 (2026) / 適用基準（支援法施行令） (criterion for application, Enforcement Order of the Act) 「第１条第３号」. The table does not separately list areas at the municipal level |
| What the 適用基準 「第1条第3号」 means | According to the reference column (対象となる自然災害・施行令第1条, natural disasters covered / Article 1 of the Enforcement Order), this application follows from the case falling under 被災者生活再建支援法施行令 第1条第3号, that is, 「a natural disaster in a prefecture where damage has occurred in which the homes of 100 or more households are totally destroyed (全壊)」 |
| Households covered and the conditions for payment (the rule and its provisos) | Covered are households in the applicable area whose homes were 全壊 (totally destroyed), 大規模半壊 (large-scale half-destroyed) and 中規模半壊 (medium-scale half-destroyed), and others. The money is not paid automatically, however: it is paid 「申請により」 (upon application), and what is paid is decided 「住宅の再建方法等に応じて」 (according to the method of rebuilding the home and the like). The document does not state the criteria for judging each damage category, what else is included in 「等」 (and others), the amount of the support money, or the application counter and deadline |
| Who pays and where the money comes from (法第18条) | 被災者生活再建支援金 is paid by the 公益財団法人都道府県センター. According to the reference column, this support money is a system under which prefectures pay out of a fund they have contributed to from the standpoint of mutual assistance, and 1/2 of it is subsidized by the national government |
| 本件問合せ先 (contact for this matter, as written in the document) | 内閣府政策統括官（防災担当）付 参事官（被災者生活再建担当）付, TEL 03-5253-2111 (extension 51279) / 03-3501-6996 (direct line). This is the contact written in the document as 「本件問合せ先」, and no separate application counter is stated in this document |
Last checked:
The 内閣府政策統括官（防災担当） (Director-General for Policy Planning (Disaster Management), Cabinet Office) announced on August 10, 2026 that the 「被災者生活再建支援法」 (Act on Support for Reconstructing Livelihoods of Disaster Victims) is applied to the disaster caused by the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake (令和8年熊本地震). The announcement is that 熊本県 (Kumamoto Prefecture) reported to the effect that 「a large number of homes have been damaged, so this is recognized as a natural disaster as defined by the said Act, and the Act is applied」. The table in the document states the 該当区域 (applicable area) as 「熊本県（くまもとけん）」, the 発生日 (date of occurrence) as July 28, and the 適用基準 (criterion for application, 支援法施行令) as 「第１条第３号」. In this area, households whose homes were 全壊 (totally destroyed), 大規模半壊 (large-scale half-destroyed) and 中規模半壊 (medium-scale half-destroyed), and others, do not receive the money automatically: they receive 被災者生活再建支援金 (support money for reconstructing the livelihoods of disaster victims) from the 公益財団法人都道府県センター 「申請により」 (upon application) and 「住宅の再建方法等に応じて」 (according to the method of rebuilding the home and the like). According to the reference column, this support money is a system under which, based on 法第18条 (Article 18 of the Act), prefectures pay out of a fund they have contributed to from the standpoint of mutual assistance, and 1/2 of it is subsidized by the national government. The document does not state the amount of the support money, the application counter or the application deadline, and the same content was announced simultaneously by 熊本県.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
Summaries reflect national-level programs. Municipal (city/ward/town) programs may differ — confirm with the official desk before applying.
FAQ
Can I receive the support money without applying? How much is it?
The document states that the 支援金 is paid 「申請により」 (upon application), so an application is needed even if your household falls within those covered. All it says about what is paid is that it is decided 「住宅の再建方法等に応じて」 (according to the method of rebuilding the home and the like); the document does not give a specific amount, application counter or application deadline. Payment is made by the 公益財団法人都道府県センター.
Which areas and which households are covered?
The table in the document states the 該当区域 (applicable area) as 「熊本県（くまもとけん）」, the 発生日 (date of occurrence) as July 28, and the 適用基準（支援法施行令） as 「第１条第３号」, and it does not separately list areas at the municipal level. The households covered are written as households whose homes were 全壊 (totally destroyed), 大規模半壊 (large-scale half-destroyed) and 中規模半壊 (medium-scale half-destroyed), and 「等」 (others); the criteria for judging each damage category and what else is included in 「等」 are not stated in this document.
Is this support a national program, or a measure of 熊本県's own?
It is a program based on the 「被災者生活再建支援法」. According to the reference column (法第18条, Article 18 of the Act), 被災者生活再建支援金 is a system under which prefectures pay out of a fund they have contributed to from the standpoint of mutual assistance, and 1/2 of it is subsidized by the national government. This application follows from the case falling under 施行令 第1条第3号 (a natural disaster in a prefecture where damage has occurred in which the homes of 100 or more households are totally destroyed), and the same content was announced simultaneously by 熊本県.