In response to the heavy rains that have caused railway bridges to be washed away one after another, the national government will subsidize one-third of the repair costs for JR bridges nationwide that are deemed to require early measures. We have solidified our policy.
We have decided to provide exceptional assistance to the three companies of JR East, Tokai, and West Japan, which have not been targeted because of their management strength, and are urgently taking measures.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has told JR companies once every two years about bridges nationwide, as the flooding of rivers caused by heavy rains has caused a series of damage to railway bridges that have had a major impact on local life and tourism. We are instructing you to conduct an emergency investigation without waiting for regular inspections.
There are 472 bridges targeted by JR companies for urgent investigations, and in places where the investigation has already been completed, bridges that require new reinforcement due to changes in the river flow from the beginning of construction due to revetment work, etc. It means that a bridge was found that could be tilted by scraping the riverbed around the base of the pier.
Based on this situation, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has decided to subsidize one-third of the repair costs for bridges that were judged to require early measures in the emergency investigation, and as a railway safety measure in this year's supplementary budget. We will allocate a part of the approximately 5 billion yen to be recorded.
Until now, the government has not subsidized the three companies of JR East, Tokai, and West Japan, which have strong management strength, regarding the cost of repairing railway bridges, but it is necessary to urgently take measures for the disaster season next year. I decided to provide extraordinary assistance.