Newsfrom Japan
Economy
Dec 11, 2025 15:25 (JST)
Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Thursday proposed a draft financial support plan for oyster farmers affected by the mass deaths of farm-raised oysters in the western prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama and Hyogo facing the Seto Inland Sea.
Attending a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, government officials presented the draft, which includes a virtually interest-free loan system, compensation for losses through a mutual aid scheme and employment measures such as continuous support for technical intern trainees from abroad.
The draft includes loans to oyster farmers of up to 6 million yen, or half of their annual operating costs, with virtually no interest for the first five years, provided they obtain damage certification from their local municipal mayors.
The draft also stipulates that oyster farmers’ losses be covered with a mutual aid scheme for aquaculture, in accordance with the number of damaged oysters. Furthermore, it proposes utilizing the national tax payment deferral system for those affected.
“We’d like to present support measures through careful coordination with the prefectural and local governments, so that oyster farmers can continue their business next year and the year after,” fisheries minister Norikazu Suzuki told a press conference after a cabinet meeting Tuesday.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
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