Japan Lawyer Helps Disaster Victims Rebuild Their Lives, Explaining Complex Support Systems and Providing Legal Advice

By Shintaro Sadahiro / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:08 JST, August 14, 2024

A lawyer from Shizuoka Prefecture is working hard to help victims of the major earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day, explaining support programs and providing legal consultation services.

Kai Nagano, a member of the Shizuoka Bar Association, has worked in various disaster-stricken areas since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, based on his belief that “the aftermath of disasters is when people need assistance from legal experts.”

He has been traveling to the Noto Peninsula to help disaster victims restore their livelihoods.

“If a half-destroyed building is demolished using public money, you’ll be able to receive the same reconstruction assistance as for a completely destroyed building,” Nagano told about 10 disaster victims at a shelter in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on June 10. Participants continued asking questions after his explanations.

“There were systems I didn’t know about. It’s difficult to understand [such systems] by reading written explanations, so it was good to have a chance to ask questions,” said a 66-year-old woman whose house was partly destroyed.

Support systems for reconstructing the livelihoods of disaster victims are complex. Different systems apply, and different assistance is available, depending on the extent of the damage and the relevant laws.

First and foremost, victims cannot receive any assistance unless they file applications.

However, local government officials are not legal experts, and they are extremely busy implementing various measures in response to disasters. Nagano therefore believes disaster assistance is a field where lawyers can help the public.

Nagano has dealt with both civil and criminal cases, such as corporate legal affairs, traffic accidents and inheritance. The Great East Japan Earthquake prompted him to deal with disasters. When he provided legal consultations on rent payments for quake-damaged stores at a shelter in Minami-Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, he saw people’s faces brighten and was surprised at how grateful they were.

Following the experience, he began actively studying the field, thinking that would allow him to be more helpful. Nagano subsequently went to such areas as those devastated by torrential rain in western Japan in 2018 and Typhoon No. 19 in 2019.

Nagano has also compiled his knowledge and posted it on his website Hisapo, meaning “support page on information to help disaster victims.” The website provides easy-to-understand information on particularly important assistance programs, different systems depending on the disaster certificates issued by local governments, and the process toward reconstructing livelihoods.

Due to his focus on disaster-related cases, Nagano’s income has fallen to one-third the previous level. But he is still motivated to help disaster victims, saying, “Other lawyers can take care of other cases, but there are few lawyers who specialize in disasters.”

Currently serving as the deputy head of the committee engaged in disaster recovery and support of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, he now conveys what he has learned to lawyers across the country.

Nagano has been visiting the Noto area every month since February. He put together leaflets containing information on assistance measures and passed them out with the help of local newspaper distributors.

“Many people tell me how they really feel because I’m a lawyer. I want to rack my brains and consider what should be done for disaster victims, on the premise that they are seeking advice from me as a last ray of hope.”

Prof. Eiichi Yamasaki of Kansai University praised the materials Nagano has put together.

“These self-produced materials to explain legal systems related to disasters are excellent,” he said. “I’m sure they’re the result of hard effort on his part.”