Tokyo SMEs rush to apply for loans.
Local governments in Tokyo are flooded with inquiries and applications for loan systems from small and medium-sized enterprises whose business performance has deteriorated, and there are situations where many people are waiting around the window. Or to change it.
As the spread of the new coronavirus continues to expand, local governments in Tokyo are expanding their support for small and medium-sized businesses and sole proprietors, whose business performance has deteriorated, by establishing their own emergency financing system.
Under such circumstances, the number of people visiting the counter for consultation and application for the system has been increasing rapidly, and waiting for a long time has been occurring.
Of these, Bunkyo Ward can handle about 30 cases per day, and the number of staff and small and medium-sized business consultants is limited, so there are cases where reception must be done the next day or later.
In addition, in Adachi City, there have been more than 950 loan system applications last month alone, accounting for nearly half of the number of applications for the year 2018.
At the government building, we have to wait for chairs in the waiting area to prevent infection, but we will move the reception area as early as this week to the large space on the first floor used for exhibitions.
However, the staff is unable to work at home, etc. to handle personal information, and personal computers must be brought in from the 4th floor every day.
Adachi City commented, "The number of cases that can be handled is approaching the limit because we have already responded to the total mobilization. There is a possibility that the number of applications will increase in the future due to the declaration of emergency, so we will try to expand our posture. It's a big challenge to go. "
Some municipalities make reservations for consultations and other interviews, but in Shinjuku, for example, even if you make a reservation now, it may take as little as early June, and in some cases it may take several weeks to nearly two months to respond.
Shinjuku City says, "We are increasing the number of consultants, but there are many needs and we have to wait for reservations. For companies with poor funding, we need to do something so that we can proceed as quickly as possible. We have to consider a way. "
Many municipalities have increased the number of counters and staff, and Katsushika City has extended reception hours to accommodate nights.