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Take photos before you clean up
Photograph the outside of your home from all four sides, the water marks left on the walls (hold a tape measure against them so the height is clear), each room, and the household goods that were damaged. For your car, photograph the whole vehicle and the interior. These photos become the evidence for everything — the damage certificate, insurance, and tax reductions.
Take the photos before you wash the marks away. Once you start cleaning, nothing is left to show how bad the damage was.
When you apply for a damage certificate (り災証明書 / risai shomeisho), you need photographs of the damage: the whole building, and the damaged parts.
Source: www.soumu.go.jp (checked: 2026-08-18)