CONTENTS
After being announced in mid-April, the Japanese government’s COVID-19 special fixed payment application process has begun in Chiba, outside of Tokyo.
Chiba’s Ichikawa City to Begin Sending Money in Mid-May
Just a week after the Japanese government announced plans to send a "special fixed payment" of 100,000 yen to every single resident (national citizens and foreign residents alike) in light of the difficulties caused in Japan by the novel coronavirus outbreak, local governments have begun to take action. From the beginning, the announcement from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications explained that the process would be organized by local governments, leaving the actual logistics of mailing out payment application forms, processing them, and then transferring the payments directly into bank accounts, all to city halls and ward offices across Japan. For more details on how the process will actually work, please check our previous explanation here.
While at the time of the announcement, various sources agreed that things would likely get going in May, it seems the first region to take steps towards a speedy payment process is Ichikawa City. On April 27th, just seven days after the national government made its decision, the local government of the city of Ichikawa (in Chiba Prefecture, which borders Tokyo) created a new page on the city hall website. On top of detailed explanations of the process and what to expect, the page includes access to a downloadable PDF of the official application form. Ichikawa City Hall explains that while most citizens should go through one of the two standard application processes (either applying online with their My Number card, or waiting to receive an application form in the mail) any residents who absolutely need to receive the payment as soon as possible can preemptively download a blank application form and submit it to city hall for expedited processing.
市では、新型コロナウイルス感染拡大を受けた現金10万円(特別定額給付金)の給付の申請受付を開始しました。
一刻も早く給付金を必要とされる方が対象です。
それ以外の方の手続きは6月上旬を目途に行う予定です。申請など詳しくはこちら⇒https://t.co/IRz3q9tIT5
— 市川市 (@ichikawa_shi) April 27, 2020
Ichikawa City's official twitter page made a short, clear announcement on the subject on the evening of the 27th:
"The city has begun the application process for the distribution of 100,000 yen payments due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (the special fixed payment). Those who are in dire need of the money as soon as possible are now eligible. We aim to continue procedures for all others in early June. Applications and other details here ⇒ [link] "
How Ichikawa City is Handling the Process
According to various sources including this report from NHK, Ichikawa's plan to provide funds ASAP for its residents who are most desperately in need relies on the city's municipal funds. Instead of waiting to receive financial grants from the national government before starting the distribution process, Ichikawa is moving to use saved municipal funds to provide residents in urgent need with their payments ahead of schedule, before reimbursing the city's funds when the national funds arrive. This means that struggling households whose incomes have dropped due to the COVID-19 will receive this small relief within a matter of weeks, around mid-May, instead of waiting the month or more it might otherwise take.
We look forward to seeing how Ichikawa's forward-thinking plan works out! Let us know what you think on the Japankuru twitter, instagram, and facebook.
PROFILE
The latest news from Japan - learn what's new in the land of the rising sun, from an international group right on the scene.
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORE・The new Tokyo flagship for Volcom Japan is a center for all things skateboarding, street fashion, art, and culture, all in the heart of Shibuya! ・Volcom日本旗艦店東京澀谷登場 本格派滑板街頭潮流藝文新據點 #Volcom #japankuru #shibuya #日本購物 #日本潮流 #日本街頭時尚 #澀谷 #東京購物 #東京購物推薦 #東京潮店 #澀谷潮店 #滑板 #雪板 #衝浪 #볼컴 #시부야
Which snacks make the best Japanese souvenirs?~ Jaga Pirika ~ 일본과자 선물 뭐하지?~자가피리카 편~ #pr #calbee #jagapokkuru #japanesesnacks #japanesefood #japanesesouvenir #japantravel #japantrip #naritaairport #hokkaido #나리타국제공항 #일본여행선물 #흔하지않은기념품 #일본쇼핑리스트 #일본과자추천 #고구마과자 #일본간식추천 #일본면세점쇼핑 #개별포장 #일본감자칩 #도쿄나리타공항면세점 #현지인추천 #일본여행 #일본기념품리스트 #자가포쿠루 #자가피리카
Asakusa's Sanja Matsuri, one of the biggest festivals in all of Tokyo, is almost here! Make sure you check out the festival route so you don't miss all the festivities this May. #asakusa #sanjafestival #sanjamatsuri #asakusashrine #sensoji #sensojitemple #japanesefestival #shintoshrine #japaneseculture #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #asakusasightseeing #matsuri #japantrip #japantravel #springinjapan #tokyotravel #japankuru #산자마츠리 #아사쿠사 #일본마츠리 #일본여행 #일본5월
Odaiba's DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to the famous real-size 20m-tall Unicorn Gundam, and the popular shopping center has even more Gundam on the inside! Check out the Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor for shelves upon shelves of Gunpla, and the Gundam Base Tokyo Annex on the 2nd floor for cool anime merchandise. Both shops have tons of limited-edition items! #pr #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #PR #divercity #divercitytokyoplaza #tokyoshopping #gundam #unicorngundam #gundambasetokyo #anime #otaku #gunpla #japankuru #오다이바 #다이바시티도쿄 #오다이바건담 #건담 #일본건담 #건프라 #건담베이스도쿄
Evangelion, in miniature!? Tokyo's SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum is actually a must-see for anime lovers, thanks to the tiny Evangelion Hangar and Tokyo-III... plus a whole universe of other scenes both real and fictional. #smallworlds #smallworldstokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japantrip #japantravel #에반게리온 #스몰월드 #에반겔리온 #スモールワールズ #오다이바 #아리아케
Have you sat down for a snack at Sumida Aquarium yet? This aquarium next to Tokyo Skytree is known for its penguins and garden eels, but we can't get enough of their cute snacks! There are lots of good seats around the aquarium, too, so it almost feels like one big cafe. 🐧 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #sumidaaquarium #skytree #tokyoskytree #solamachi #sumida #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #aquarium #japanesesweets #themecafe #すみだ水族館 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #igerstokyo #explorejapan
For anime fans, the Evangelion areas at Small Worlds Miniature Museum are a must see! The tiny miniature people in the Evangelion Hangar look like ants beneath the moving Unit-01, Unit-00, and Unit-02! And over in Tokyo-III, characters like Shinji, Rei, and Katsuragi live life on a miniature scale. #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #ariake #smallworlds #miniaturemuseum #smallworldstokyo #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japankuru #스몰월드 #에반게리온 #오다이바 #오다이바관광 #오다이바스몰월드 #미니어쳐