Disaster Victim / Disaster Damage Notice Certificates 罹災証明書

Applications for Disaster Victim Certificates (罹災証明書) & Disaster Damage Notice Certificates (被災届出証明書), pertaining to damages from the 1 Jan 2024 earthquake, have opened on 3 Jan (Wed).

Applications can be made in person at Komatsu City Hall (1F Taxation Division counter), via post, or online via the Komatsu E-application Service こまつ電子申請サービス.

Business owners (enquiring on damages to shop, office, factory etc.) may approach the Commerce, Industry and Labour Division (商工労働課), while agriculture and fishery owners may approach the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Division (農林水産課).

(refer to the "Disaster Certificate for Affected Businesses" page)

In Komatsu City, victims of natural disasters can apply to have their damaged residences surveyed, upon which a disaster victim certificate will be issued. Those who have suffered damage to their residences due to the recent floods, and require a disaster victim certificate, may apply.

※A photo of the damage must be provided. Please take a photo before carrying out cleaning and repairs. Refer to “Photo Requirements” below for a guide on how to take the photos.

※For cases where degree of damage is clearly less than 10% (e.g fallen tiles, cracks in external wall, broken windows etc.), self-assessment can be carried out instead (i.e. without inspection by officers). Refer to “Self-assessment Option” below for details.

※Eligible “residences” refer to houses in which the applicants are actually living in. This includes rented apartments. (Uninhabited property and villas etc. which the applicant owns but does not live in are not eligible, but you can apply for Disaster Damage Notice Certification instead)

Photo Requirements

Please get photos of the 1) entire house, and 2) specific damaged areas.

Guide from the Cabinet Office:

You may also refer to this video guide(動画ファイル:9.7MB) (in Japanese)

Disaster Victim Certification 罹災証明書 (for damaged residences) 

In the event of damage to places of residence due to natural disasters, the Disaster Victim Certificate provides official certification of the degree of damage incurred, upon application for on-site assessment by city hall staff. The assessment will be conducted according to the official standards set by the Cabinet Office.

(Caution)A disaster victim certificate may be needed for application for rehabilitation and reconstruction support funds, tax exemptions, loans, and mutual aid benefits etc. In general, it should not be required for life insurance or damage insurance compensation.

Self-assessment Option

In cases where the damage incurred to the house is clearly less than 10% , and the applicant consents to accepting "一部損壊" (partial damage) as the assessment result, damage certification can be conducted through just the photos taken by the applicant, without the need for on-site assessment. This assessment option will allow for faster processing.

(e.g. flooding below floor level, fallen roof tiles, external wall cracks, rain gutter damage, window pane damage etc.)

Certificate Reissuance

You may request reissuance of the same certificate as before, if additional copies are required for new applications for subsidies etc.

Note that you will need to fill in a different application form specifically for reissuance.

Reassessment

Applications for reassessment are possible if you have sufficient reason to request amendment to the degree of damage previously certified.

Deadline for reassessment application: Within one month of issuance of previous Disaster Victim Certificate.

Disaster Damage Notice Certification 被災届出証明 (for damages to non-residential properties & land) 

The Disaster Damage Notification & Certificate serves as verification that damages to non-residential buildings, land, structures and possessions (cars and goods etc.) have been reported to the city hall. You may apply for issuance of this certificate if you have incurred damage only to properties other than your house of residence.

※This does not serve as certification of the degree of damage or proof of damage.

Application Forms

Disaster Victim Certificate Application Form(PDFファイル:183.9KB)

Disaster Damage Notification & Certification Form(PDFファイル:168.4KB)

Samples (of how to fill up forms)

How to Apply

Service Counter/ Mail

• Address:
  91 Konmade-machi
  Komatsu City, Ishikawa Pref.
  923-8650 JAPAN
  (〒923－8650 石川県小松市小馬出町91番地)

• Service Counter:
  Komatsu City Hall Taxation Division (小松市役所税務課)
  Tel: 0761-24-8032、0761-24-8163

*Please bring along a personal identification document such as My Number Card, Residence Card, passport, or insurance card etc. If applying via post, please attach a copy of your identification document. You may consult the taxation division if providing such a document is difficult due to disaster circumstances.

Komatsu E-application Service こまつ電子申請サービス

You may also apply online with your computer or smartphone using the city’s 24h e-application site (available in Japanese only).

Komatsu E-application Service (external link)

Pittari Service ぴったりサービス

You may also apply through the online application site, Pittari Service, run by the national government (in Japanese only).

Pittari Service (external link)

Points to Note 

• Issuance of the above certificates is free of charge.
• Depending on the scheduling of on-site assessment and volume of requests, it may not be possible to issue certificates immediately.
• In the event of large-scale disasters, there may be long waiting times at the service counters, and delays in conducting on-site assessments and certificate issuance.

Reference

Cabinet Office English page on “Disaster Management in Japan” (external link)