Basic info on the gienkin donations in English

Below is an out line from a TV PROGRAM I saw on Friday morning (4/8)about the monies raised and later simple info from NHK on the distributions plans decided on Friday April 8.

Gienkin donations

130,000,000,000yen from a wide array of sources

Sports figures businesses figures and celebrities

For example:

Softbank’s Mr. Son 100,000,000,000 personal donation + corp.

SMAP 4,000,000,000yen

Donations boxes are everywhere

Karaoke rooms

Convenience stores

Sports events

All types of shops

People give as they feel there is nothing else they can do

Poll in central Tokyo 93% said they gave some gienkin

But where is the money going????

Words for donation in Japanese – not well understood by the public

義援金Gienkin – money will be given in cash to survivors
支援金Shienkin – money will be used for support services
寄付金kifu kin  - general donations

カンパKampa – general donations, like in a change box

Huge amount of money has been given but none given to the people yet

April 6　total Gienkin type of donations

Japan Red Cross　1,083億3,3332万円 => 108,333,332,000yen

Red Feather 201億4,830万円 20,148,300,000

130billion+ yen

Update from website

http://www.jrc.or.jp/contribution/l3/Vcms3_00002096.html

April 7, 2011 174万6,238 donations totaling　1,133億3,227万0,907円

1,746,238 donations totaling 113,332,270,907yen

Compare to Kobe

平成7年1月31日 ~

平成8年1月31日　2,645,040件　1,006億7,897万1,076円（受付窓口閉鎖）
（海外の赤十字社からの義援金などは含まれていません。）

Kobe EQ money distribution timeline:

1^st payment after 2 weeks

100,000 yen per person missing or dead

100,000 yen per housing destroyed or half destroyed

2^nd payment after 4 months

50,000yen per person

1,000,000yen for education, child support

3^rd payment after 1.5-2 years

– Remaining monies divided up for life support

At this point the agencies know how much was given in total and they divide up the money in a number of categories

* First payment is the hardest – not sure how much money or how many people.

After Kobe – guidelines were set up - Process was set

Money goes to the prefectural government which in turn distribute the money to local Governments

Amount distributed depends on the local governments assessment of need

Assessment of need comes from people filling out 罹災証明書

"Certificate of damage"

People fill this in and then the local government submits list of needs to pref. government that then sends out the money

Amount of money given has to do with this assessment as well as how money is raised.

At 4 weeks nothing has been sent yet – a few main issues

1. Systematic problems – how to verify?

Evacuees often have no id or proof where they are from, who they are,

 City halls have also been destroyed, staff killed – no records to check in many cases

In some evacuation centers,

2. Scale issues – this time 15 prefectures have been affected

Some evacuees are housed far from home, no local government representative to help them

* Kobe EQ damage was concentrated in and around Hyogo pref

3. Committee did not come together until 4 weeks after the disaster

First meeting on Friday April 8

Members JRC, Red Feather/JCC + reps from 15 prefectures

Supported by MoHLW

 

義援金の配分基準が決まる

Gienkin Donation distribution standards decided

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20110408/k10015188251000.html

The committee considered how the distribution of earthquake donations

350,000 yen per person killed or missing per person in payment to families

350,000 yen per family for destroyed houses

180,000 yen per family for partially destroyed houses

350,000 yen per households within a radius of 30 km of the Fukushima nuclear power plant,

* Also includes foreign tourists who were visiting the affected areas.

Because of widespread damage in the earthquake and tsunami, distribution occurred late.

The Ministry of Health facilitated the committee meeting to consider the allocation of Gienkin donations. Committee included representatives from 15 prefectures, as well as the Japan Red Cross and Central Community Chest/Red Feather. The 15 prefectures will allocate donations to the disaster survivors.

Next, the distribution committee of each municipalities will be set up to decide a final distribution of money based on the standards set on April 8th and to be delivered by the survivors through the municipality.

There will be another committee meeting to examine standards for the distribution to injured persons and homes flooded above ground floor level.

4/ 8 NHK News Committee to divide up donations

One of the main reasons for doing so late is the extent of the damage and the need to get people from all 15 prefectures to agree publically