Agriculture and oceans ministries widen disaster support rules

The agriculture and oceans ministries' revised regulations will add earthquakes and abnormally high temperatures to agricultural disasters eligible for state assistance, after a legal amendment expanded the scope of covered events.

The regulations take effect Aug. 15 and require state subsidies and support for farming households when either hazard damages agricultural or forest crops.

The law amendment allows the two ministers to initiate fact-finding surveys after considering a disaster's severity and cause. Surveys must record the scale of losses in agricultural and fishery disasters and recovery support from ministries and local governments. Findings must be made public within six months after completion.

The surveys must also examine farming and fishing households' perceptions and satisfaction with recovery and support policies, as well as their awareness of disaster-response guidance. The ministries can use on-site inspections, questionnaires and interviews, telephone surveys and online surveys, and may commission specialist research institutions, organizations or experts to conduct the work.