Ichihara City — Support information (For businesses)
Support from the national government, Chiba Prefecture, your city or town, public bodies and private organisations — gathered together for each municipality. This page was last checked on: 2026-08-18
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First, for your safety
Do not start the engine of a car that has been in water. It can cause breakdown or fire. Please do not start it even just to check whether it still runs.
Stay away from electric vehicles (EV), hybrids (HV) and PHEVs. There is a risk of electric shock. Do not touch the body, the charging port or the orange cables, and do not try to remove the battery yourself.
If the car must be moved, do not drive it. Ask a towing company or another professional. If possible, keep it outdoors and away from buildings.
Special consultation desks have been set up for small and medium-sized businesses affected by the disaster, covering disaster recovery loans, financing and repayments. You may consult them even before you know what you can use.
・Japan Finance Corporation, Chiba Branch, SME Unit (weekdays 9:00–17:00) 043-243-7121
・Business Funding Hotline (weekdays 9:00–17:00) 0120-154-505
・Chiba Prefecture, Management Support Division, Finance Support Office 043-223-2707
・Chiba Industrial Promotion Center, Challenge Enterprise Center 043-299-2907
・Chiba Prefecture Credit Guarantee Association: Head Office 043-221-8111 / Makuhari Support Center 043-239-3281 / Matsudo Branch 047-365-6010
・Chiba Yorozu Support Center 043-299-2921
・お住まいの地域の商工会議所・商工会
Special consultation desks have also been set up at Shoko Chukin Bank, the federations of societies of commerce and industry, the SME central associations, the Kanto branch of SMRJ, and the Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Japan Finance Corporation, Business Funding Hotline
National support measures for affected small and medium-sized businesses
Following the application of the Disaster Relief Act to 25 municipalities in Chiba Prefecture, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is implementing support measures for affected small and medium-sized businesses (announced 14 August 2026). There are five measures.
1. Special consultation desks
2. Disaster recovery loans (Japan Finance Corporation and Shoko Chukin Bank)
3. Application of Safety Net Guarantee No. 4
4. Easing of repayment terms on existing debt
5. Disaster-time loans under the Small Enterprise Mutual Aid scheme
Disaster recovery loans (Japan Finance Corporation and Shoko Chukin Bank)
For small and medium-sized businesses affected by this heavy rain, the Japan Finance Corporation and Shoko Chukin Bank in Chiba Prefecture are providing disaster recovery loans for working capital or capital investment.
We have not been able to confirm the loan limits, interest rates or repayment periods, so we do not state them here. Please confirm at the counter or in the official announcement.
In the 25 municipalities of Chiba Prefecture to which the Disaster Relief Act applies, for small and medium-sized businesses whose sales have fallen because of this heavy rain, the credit guarantee association guarantees 100% of the loan amount, within a limit separate from the ordinary guarantee.
As announced on 14 August 2026, the designation of the area was “to be published in the official gazette shortly”, and advance consultation has begun at the credit guarantee association. Please confirm the status of the gazette notice at the counter. You will need certification from your municipality to use this.
Chiba Prefecture Credit Guarantee Association, Head Office / the commerce and industry section of 市原市役所
Easing of repayment terms on existing debt (rescheduling)
The national government has asked the Japan Finance Corporation, Shoko Chukin Bank and the credit guarantee association in Chiba Prefecture to respond flexibly to the circumstances of affected businesses — by changing the terms of existing debt such as granting repayment grace, speeding up lending procedures, and being flexible about collateral.
Before you borrow anything new, please talk to your current lender first.
Your current lender (Japan Finance Corporation, Shoko Chukin Bank, or your bank)
Disaster-time loan under the Small Enterprise Mutual Aid scheme
For members of the Small Enterprise Mutual Aid scheme who were affected in the 25 municipalities of Chiba Prefecture to which the Disaster Relief Act applies, the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation provides a disaster-time loan at low interest, in principle on the same day.
This is for people who are enrolled in the scheme. It may be the fastest way to secure funds for the time being.
Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises, Mutual Aid Consultation Office
Workers' accident compensation (if you were harmed at work or commuting)
Under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, if a worker is harmed during work or while commuting, the worker or the family can receive benefits from workers' accident insurance (treatment, medication, survivors' pension or lump sum, and so on).
Injuries suffered during clean-up work can also be covered. Do not decide on your own that it is not covered — please consult the Labour Standards Inspection Office.
Your local Labour Standards Inspection Office / Workers' Accident Insurance Hotline
Telephone counselling is available for people affected by the disaster.
・Yorisoi Hotline (24 hours) 0120-279-338
・Inochi no Denwa (every day 16:00–21:00) 0120-783-556
・Chiba Inochi no Denwa (24 hours) 043-227-3900
The Chiba Prefectural Gender Equality Center offers general counselling for women (04-7140-8605, Tuesday to Sunday 9:30–16:00, all counsellors are women) and for men (043-308-3421, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 16:00–20:00, Saturdays 12:30–16:30, all counsellors are men).
If you cannot sleep or you feel overwhelmed, please do not push yourself — talk to someone. These helplines are answered in Japanese. If you need support in another language, the Chiba Prefecture Multilingual Disaster Support Center (043-297-2966) provides information in several languages.
Beware of dishonest repair companies and unlicensed waste collectors
After a disaster, damage caused by dishonest repair companies and unlicensed waste collectors increases. Even if you are approached with an offer such as “we can repair it for free using your insurance money”, do not sign a contract on the spot.
If anything feels wrong, please call the Consumer Hotline 188.
If you do not have enough help to clear up, you may be able to ask the disaster volunteer centre of 市原市社会福祉協議会 free of charge.
The details, eligibility, deadlines and counters can change. Please always check the official announcements of each organisation for the latest information. Every item shows its source and the date it was last checked.
The Japanese version is the authoritative one. Please check the Japanese pages and the official sources for the latest information.
