Society

90% of homes flooded in typhoon ineligible for gov't support

Oct 24 (Kyodo) - Flooding at levels of less than 1 meter made up more than 90 percent of the approximately 68,000 homes damaged by the destructive Typhoon Hagibis, the government said Wednesday, making the homeowners unlikely to receive financial support under current law.

In cases of water damage, the law on financial assistance to disaster victims stipulates that they can be awarded up to 3 million yen ($27,700) for rebuilding. But this, in principle, is limited to flood levels of 1 meter or more above ground.

It remains to be seen if households that sustained extensive water damage, despite low flood levels, will receive support.

According to data collected by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, roughly 33,000 homes suffered "under-floor flooding," meaning water soaked levels below the ground floor, while around 29,000 homes had their floors submerged but not destroyed.

The figures, which are only rough estimates, are expected to continue to increase.

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

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Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

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World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

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