62040 Particularly, after having made numerous concessions starting with the acceptance of the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan-US Security Treaty, healing the wounds of war is the issue that could be called the last bastion of the Social Democratic Party to assert its identity.
62041 It appears that the bureaucracy based in Kasumigaseki forced their inputs on his speech as if seeing through the shaky foundation of the administration and the lack of leadership, and with these two issues that would determine whether or not his administration survives, the Prime Minister seems to have managed to show his pride.
62042 Alongside the rescue operation for missing persons, restoration efforts have started to move forward in the devastated areas of the Great Hanshin Earthquake.
62043 One of the essentials at present is the preparation by the government and the Bank of Japan of fiscal/financial measures to support the recovery and reconstruction.
62044 The Murayama Cabinet has announced that they will do their best to address the issue.
62045 Since the ruling coalition seems to be discussing the special legislation and supplementary budget internally, we want to make several requests in relation to fiscal/financial measures.
62046 Firstly, a financially provision to secure the livelihood of the victims needs immediate attention as an interim measure.
62047 At present, more than 300,000 evacuees are still forced to live in the shelters with great inconvenience, and it is obvious that the financial problem will grow as time goes by.
62048 Demands for money in order to buy day-to-day items, to reopen stores, to repair houses and for other things are expected to increase sharply.
62049 Financial institutions including banks are lending necessary funds for immediate use to the evacuees who had fled from their homes with their bankbooks and cards left behind, and there is a need for them to supply enough funds to the victims in cooperation with the Bank of Japan.
62050 Additionally, it is necessary to put in the measures such as tax cuts, deferrals of public utility payments and others for the evacuees.
62051 We understand that efforts are being made on individual items, but it is important to provide them as a package.
62052 It is said that the prompt decision made by the government and the Bank of Japan to offer financial measures that were subsequently delivered as a comprehensive package helped to stabilize the public's mind.
62053 Furthermore, the funds to build temporary housing, to reconstruct the buildings and expressways that had been collapsed and the like are expected to grow substantially.
62054 While the accurate cost of damage is still under investigation, a private economic research institute has cited between three and eight trillion yen.