First temporary housing complex opens in quake-hit Yatsushiro, Kumamoto
In short
Move-ins began on Oct. 5 at the first temporary housing complex in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, which recorded an intensity of 6-strong in the July earthquake. Nikkei reported the complex has 18 units for 31 people, while about 700 people in the city were still in evacuation centres as of Oct. 2. The prefecture plans 760 units in all, and damage to homes across the prefecture exceeded 74,000 buildings as of Oct. 2, according to the same report.
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Move-ins began on Oct. 5 at the first temporary housing complex in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, which recorded an intensity of 6-strong in the July earthquake, according to Tokyo Shimbun, Nippon TV News and Nikkei. Nikkei reported the complex has 18 units that will house 31 people, and that residents voiced relief at the move. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
About 700 people were still spending time in evacuation centres in Yatsushiro as of Oct. 2, and the prefecture and the city are hurrying to secure housing, Nikkei reported. The prefecture plans 760 units including those already completed, while damage to homes in the prefecture exceeded 74,000 buildings as of Oct. 2, the report said. [ 3 ]
According to the prefecture, the housing is single-storey wooden construction using lumber and tatami produced in the prefecture, Nikkei reported. A communal space called “minnano ie” was built so residents can interact, with the aim of rebuilding community within the complex, the report said. [ 3 ]
Nakahara Taira, 78, of Yatsushiro stayed at a friend's home and in evacuation centres after the quake; cardboard beds were hard and hurt his legs and back, and he said he was relieved that his move-in was decided, according to Nikkei. A woman in her 80s from Yatsushiro who had been staying at her daughter's home will live alone, and said she was happy to be able to spend time with people around her in the lounge, the same report said. [ 3 ]
Nippon TV News's headline said rent at the complex is free in principle for two years and quoted a resident asking what they would do in two years. Tokyo Shimbun also reported the move-ins, framing the story around the rush to secure housing. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The opening gives some of the roughly 700 people still in evacuation centres in Yatsushiro a place to live, but the prefecture's plan for 760 units and more than 74,000 damaged homes indicate a drawn-out recovery. Nippon TV News's headline highlighted a resident's question about what happens after two years, pointing to the temporary nature of the housing.
Key facts
- Move-ins began on Oct. 5 at the first temporary housing complex in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, after the July earthquake. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The complex has 18 units and will house 31 people. [ 3 ]
- About 700 people in Yatsushiro were still spending time in evacuation centres as of Oct. 2. [ 3 ]
- Kumamoto Prefecture plans 760 units in total, including those already completed. [ 3 ]
- Damage to homes in the prefecture exceeded 74,000 buildings as of Oct. 2. [ 3 ]
- The housing is single-storey wooden construction using lumber and tatami produced in the prefecture, with a communal space for residents. [ 3 ]
- Nippon TV News's headline said rent is free in principle for two years. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether rent at the complex is free for two years in principle, and who that applies to. Only Nippon TV News's headline mentions the rent-free term; its article text was not available and no other outlet states it.
- The figures of about 700 people in evacuation centres and more than 74,000 damaged buildings are given as of Oct. 2. Single source (Nikkei) and dated three days before the move-ins began, so they may not reflect the situation on Oct. 5.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Tokyo Shimbun reports that the first temporary housing complex in Yatsushiro has begun taking in residents, after the July earthquake that measured intensity 6-strong in the city. [ 1 ]
- Nippon TV News reports that Yatsushiro's first temporary housing is completed and move-ins have started, with rent free in principle for two years. [ 2 ]
- Nikkei reports that 18 units will house 31 people and that about 700 people in Yatsushiro were still in evacuation centres as of Oct. 2. [ 3 ]