Basic Act on Disaster Management

In cases where a disaster involving an area of a municipality has occurred, when an application has been made by the victims of the disaster, the mayor of the municipality must investigate without delay the condition of the damage to houses and other damage of the kinds which the mayor specifies, and issue a document certifying the degree of damage caused by the disaster (referred to as "disaster victim certificate" in paragraph (4)).

The mayor of a municipality may internally use the information on the houses of disaster victims held by the mayor for purposes other than those that have been identified in holding the information, to the extent necessary for the investigation under the preceding paragraph.

When the head of a special ward finds it necessary for the investigation under paragraph (1), the head may ask the Governor of Tokyo to provide information on the houses of disaster victims.

In order to prepare for occurrence of disaster and secure a system for implementing the necessary work of issuing disaster victim certificates, the mayor of a municipality must endeavor to train officials with specialized knowledge and experience of the investigation under paragraph (1), to ensure coordination between the municipality and other local governments or private groups, and must endeavor to take any other necessary measures.

In cases where a disaster involving an area of a municipality has occurred, when the mayor of the municipality finds it necessary for implementing support for disaster victims of the disaster comprehensively and effectively, the mayor may prepare a register which is the basis for implementing support for disaster victims (hereinafter referred to as "disaster victim register" in this Article and paragraph (1) of the following Article).

The following matters concerning disaster victims are to be described or recorded in the disaster victim register:

full name;

date of birth;

sex;

domicile or residence;

condition of damage to houses and other damage of the kinds which the mayor of a municipality specifies;

condition of implementation of support;

in the case of persons requiring special care, to that effect and the reasons for falling under persons requiring special care; and

beyond what is provided for in each of the preceding items, matters as provided for by Disaster Management Agency Order.

The mayor of a municipality may internally use the names of disaster victims and any other information on disaster victims held by them for purposes other than those that have been identified in holding the information, to the extent necessary to prepare the disaster victim register under paragraph (1).

When the mayor of a municipality finds it necessary for preparing the disaster victim register under paragraph (1), the mayor may ask the head of a relevant local government, a registered organization cooperating in support of disaster victims that carries out cooperative work in support of disaster victims within the area of the municipality, and any other person to provide information on disaster victims.

When the mayor of a municipality makes a request under the preceding paragraph concerning disaster victims temporarily staying in the area of another prefecture, the mayor may ask the prefectural governor for cooperation.

When the prefectural governor finds it necessary for responding to a request under the preceding paragraph, the governor may ask the head of a relevant local government and any other person to provide information on the disaster victims concerned.

When found applicable to any item listed below, the mayor of a municipality may personally use or provide the information described or recorded in the disaster victim register (hereinafter referred to as "register information" in this Article through Article 90-6) prepared pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article for purposes other than those that have been identified in holding the information:

when the person (which means a particular individual identified by register information; hereinafter the same applies in this item) has given approval, or when the register information is provided to that person;

when the register information is used internally by the municipality to the extent necessary for implementing the support for disaster victims;

in the case of providing other local governments with the register information, when the person who receives the register information uses the provided register information to the extent necessary to implement the support for disaster victims;

in the case where, because the living environment within the area of a municipality is unstable due to a disaster, there is a risk of harm to the lives or bodies of disaster victims, and the mayor of the municipality finds it particularly necessary for protecting the lives or bodies of disaster victims and provides register information in response to a request from a registered organization cooperating in support of disaster victims that carries out or is about to carry out cooperative work in support of disaster victims within the area of the municipality, when that registered organization cooperating in support of disaster victims uses the provided register information to the extent necessary for cooperative work in support of disaster victims.

The necessary matters concerning the provision of register information under the preceding paragraph (limited to the portion concerning item (i), item (iii) or item (iv)) are prescribed by Disaster Management Agency Order.

When providing register information pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), item (iv) of the preceding Article, the mayor of a municipality must endeavor to take, as provided for in the area disaster management plan, measures necessary to protect the rights and interests of the disaster victims and third parties related to the register information, such as requesting the person who receives the register information to take measures necessary to prevent leakage of the register information.

An officer or employee of a registered organization cooperating in support of disaster victims that has been provided with register information pursuant to the provisions of Article 90-4, paragraph (1), item (iv), or a person who has held either of those positions, must not divulge, without justifiable grounds, secrets concerning the register information provided pursuant to the provisions of that item.