Extensions for stores, factories and schools needed in disaster areas

March 7, 2013

Disaster-hit areas to apply for extensions for temporary stores, factories, schools

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130307p2a00m0na009000c.html

The Miyagi Prefectural Government and the cities of Ishinomaki and Osaki within the prefecture will apply this month for extensions to the length of time that temporary non-residential structures like stores, factories and schools can stay open in areas devastated by tsunami, it has been learned.

Without an extension, the Building Standards Act defines that the temporary structures can only be used for 27 months, which would lead to forced closures at the end of the year, but the extension applications are expected to be accepted.

The extensions would cover at least 100 structures. Meanwhile, the Iwate Prefectural Government is conducting talks with the Reconstruction Agency over extensions for around 170 temporary structures in eight coastal municipalities, and is aiming for an application next month, while the governments of Fukushima Prefecture and the city of Sendai are also collecting municipalities' opinions and preparing to apply. All together, the applications would cover a large number of structures.

The local governments will apply for "special reconstruction zones" to have the extensions approved. These zones were created by a law in December 2011 to help the recovery of disaster-hit areas. Temporary structures can receive yearly permission for continued use when reconstruction is expected to take a long time, and if local construction supervision bodies determine that there are no safety problems. Disaster-hit municipalities are applying for the extensions because of delays in the resumption of business at permanent commercial structures.

The Miyagi Prefectural Government will seek extensions for over 50 structures in Kesennuma, Minamisanriku, Onagawa and other municipalities not covered by local construction supervision bodies. Ishinomaki will seek extensions for 40 to 50 structures in three temporarily-constructed shopping streets, and Osaki will seek extensions for only a few structures. Based on the status of reconstruction work, these governments estimate that extensions will be needed for at most around five years, and they will apply for extensions annually as needed.

According to the Reconstruction Agency, special reconstruction zones with extensions for temporary structures have been granted already for the Ibaraki Prefectural Government and five municipalities in the prefecture, as well as Minamisoma in Fukushima Prefecture, and Takanezawa in Tochigi Prefecture, but in each case only a few structures were covered.