Still 13,800 families have living in Kobe’s victims’ temporally houses, today. The day 17^th July was the day of the good news that possibility to pass the winter at the bottom of the life. Hyogo prefecture back down to decided to extend removal date because Kobe City has judged. Then Hyogo prefecture clear they will propose the extension to the State of Japan (This is third propose) . (why have to propose to State level because how centralization working)

Hyogo prefecture was not admit to use the temporally houses beyond September. Hyogo prefecture’s policy was removal, obstinately. Because living in poor surroundings temporally houses more than 3 years are the beyond of boundaries. Few people has idea that abolish once when end of September then reinforce to use as co-public houses but Kobe city objection this idea.

In fact, saying abolish the temporally houses at the end of September but about 10,000 families has no place to move. Hyogo Prefecture presented the temporally move support plan but only 200 families applications for this plan. Some family waiting to completion next March (1999) the public houses that building as reconstruction after disaster. Until completion, the Prefecture or City has system that adapt the nongovernment rental apartment but victims who still living in the temporally houses are too old to move again and again. Also they spent so long days to cultivate the community but can not keep it when they move again. When they miss the community, then mental care will be heartlessness then worst at like solitary death problem.

In the timing of this citation, the victim support law has been approved at last Diet. The support money will be paid to the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake’s victims but Mr. Ashio Councilor said “impossible to pay to the victims who living in temporally houses”. He was defeated in the last election. He obtained low votes at stricken area like his mouth made harmful influence to his reelection. Governor Mr.Kaibara said “we have no temporally houses when we will pay it (because after September)”. But hard to say this sophistry , any more because will be extend then temporally houses are still there.

As humanitarianism first, I think why we can not find the way to pay support money to the people who living temporally houses, too. They living the place like “more than 3 years are the beyond the boundaries” and some has no place to move. Japanese economy is just like bottom of depression and victims are like living their narrow life at reverse side of that bottom.

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©Daisuke Tomiyasu 1998