What Happens Next: A Timeline

Most problems that arise after things settle down fall into three groups

1. You have no records. Photos taken before cleanup, receipts for repairs and accommodation, and notes about damage and expenses may be needed later as evidence, for reimbursement, or for tax filing.
2. You missed a deadline. Applications for a disaster damage certificate, emergency repairs, support payments, and fee reductions each have deadlines that differ by municipality. Items marked Deadline applies have a time limit.
3. You did not know a program existed. In addition to a disaster damage certificate, help may be available for utility bills, taxes, insurance premiums, loans, employment, and school.

To search by your own situation, such as above-floor flooding, renting, a flooded car, business damage, children, or older family members, see Find Help for Your Situation.

First week: now From week two From one month From three months Records to keep At any time

First week, including now: keep records, protect your health, and do not repair first

This is the week when cleanup and returning to work overlap. It is natural to want to restore things quickly, but first make sure you preserve evidence and receipts.

• Photograph damage before cleaning up. Photograph the building from all four sides, show the depth of floodwater with a measuring tape or person for scale, and take both wide and close views of damaged areas. Photograph household items before discarding them. Disaster damage certificates and how to take photos (Chiba Prefecture) Government
• Keep every receipt. Keep receipts for cleanup tools, cleaning and repair contractors, accommodation, moving, rental cars, and replacement household items. You may need them for insurance claims, emergency repair reimbursement, and the following year’s casualty loss tax deduction. Once discarded, they cannot be recovered. When property is damaged by a disaster or theft: casualty loss deduction (National Tax Agency) Government
• Begin applying for a disaster damage certificate or disaster-affected property certificate. Application methods, required documents, and deadlines differ by municipality. A rental resident can also apply personally, although building repairs must be discussed with the landlord. Deadline applies Find official application guidance on the municipal pages / Difference between the two certificates
• If you sign a repair contract first, you may become ineligible for publicly funded emergency repairs. Municipalities covered by the Disaster Relief Act may operate an emergency home repair program. You may obtain an estimate, but check municipal guidance before signing a contract or beginning work. Chiba Prefecture response to the August 2026 heavy rain Government / Programs for disaster victims (Cabinet Office) Government
• Contact your insurer or mutual aid provider. Check flood coverage under fire insurance, comprehensive vehicle insurance, and household property coverage. You will need photos and receipts. You may need more than one copy of a certificate for different recipients. General Insurance Association of Japan Official
• Follow your municipality’s sorting rules, temporary collection site instructions, and collection dates for disaster waste. Do not mix it with ordinary waste. Tatami mats, appliances, and soil must be disposed of differently. Check official notices on your municipal page. Disaster waste information (Ministry of the Environment) Government / Municipal pages
• Remove mud and water from beneath the floor, dry the area, and then disinfect it. Disinfection alone does not dry it. Without drying, mold, odors, and wood damage appear later. Follow official instructions when using hydrated lime or similar materials. Preventing infections in disaster-damaged homes (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) Government / “When Your Home Is Flooded” (Japan National Network for Disaster Relief) NPO
• Have flooded appliances, outlets, and breaker panels inspected before restoring power. Water or mud left inside may later cause electrical leakage or fire. When power returns, unplug appliances and check for nearby flammable items before switching the breaker on. Never use a generator indoors. Fire from flooded electrical appliances (NITE) Government / Kanto Electrical Safety Inspection Association Official / Health and electrical safety during cleanup
• Prevent heatstroke and injuries during cleanup. It is August. Work in the early morning or evening, drink water, replace salt, and take breaks. Injuries in mud carry a tetanus risk, so seek medical care for deep or dirty wounds. Wear rubber boots, thick gloves, and a mask. Heat illness prevention information (Ministry of the Environment) Government / Preventing heat illness (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) Government
• If your car was flooded, do not start the engine. It may short-circuit or catch fire. Take photos and contact your insurer about comprehensive coverage. If scrapping the car, complete deregistration procedures. Some municipalities issue a disaster-affected property certificate, rather than a home disaster damage certificate, for vehicle damage. Automobile insurance (General Insurance Association of Japan) Official / Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) Official / If your car was flooded
• Beware of sales practices that exploit the disaster. Be cautious of claims such as “insurance will make the repair free,” “sign today,” or “our inspection found that immediate work is necessary.” If pressured, step away before deciding. Contact your municipal or prefectural consumer affairs center. Beware of dishonest sales practices exploiting disasters (Consumer Affairs Agency) Government / Chiba Prefectural Consumer Affairs Center Government

From week two: inspections and classifications, repairs or temporary housing, and financial services

Municipal damage inspections begin, followed by disaster damage classifications such as total or partial destruction. The classification determines which programs are available.

• Damage inspection and classification. Municipal staff may visit, or the municipality may assess damage from photographs. If you disagree with the classification, you can request a second inspection. Photos from before cleanup become important here. Assessment of damage to homes (Cabinet Office) Government
• Choose between emergency repairs and emergency temporary housing, including a leased rental treated as temporary housing. In principle, you cannot receive both. Check official sources for conditions, duration, and limits. Eligibility varies according to whether you own or rent and the degree of damage. Apply through your municipality; the prefecture implements the program. Deadline applies Chiba Prefecture response page Government / Steps for rebuilding your life
• You may ask a disaster volunteer center for cleanup help. Councils of Social Welfare open centers in each municipality. They may help clean an older parent’s home or remove mud when one person cannot manage alone. Request methods differ by center. Chiba Prefecture Council of Social Welfare Social Welfare Council / Chiba Prefecture disaster volunteer information Government
• Reductions, exemptions, or deferred payment for utilities, communications, and NHK fees. Electricity, gas, water, mobile phone, and NHK reception fees may be covered by special measures for disaster victims, such as payment extensions or exemptions. Many require an application, so check each provider’s disaster page. TEPCO Energy Partner notices Official / NHK reception fee information Official / Utility providers
• Tax, National Health Insurance, and long-term care insurance reductions and filing extensions. Municipalities handle resident tax, fixed-asset tax, National Health Insurance, and long-term care insurance; the prefecture handles prefectural tax; and the tax office handles income tax. Reductions, exemptions, and payment deadline extensions may be available according to the damage. An application is required. Deadline applies Disaster-related tax information (National Tax Agency) Government / Chiba Prefecture Tax Division Government / Municipal pages
• Ask about mortgage repayments. If repayment may become difficult, contact your lender early. The Natural Disaster Debt Restructuring Guidelines provide a way to restructure debt without personal bankruptcy. Natural Disaster Debt Restructuring Guidelines Official / Chiba Bar Association: help for people affected by disasters Bar Association
• Your workplace was damaged and closed. In areas covered by the Disaster Relief Act, special measures may allow people unable to work because their workplace closed to receive basic employment insurance benefits even if they have not left their jobs. Contact the Labour Bureau or Hello Work. Support and programs after a natural disaster (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) Government / Chiba Labour Bureau Government
• Schools and childcare reopen, and school expense assistance becomes relevant. Check the second-term start date, school route, and meal service. Families struggling with school supplies or meal costs because of the disaster may receive school expense assistance or school supplies under the Disaster Relief Act. Contact the school or board of education. School expense assistance program (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Government / Chiba Prefectural Board of Education Government
• Consultation services for shops, factories, and farmland. Contact a chamber or society of commerce and industry, prefectural small-business financing, Japan Finance Corporation disaster loans, or agriculture, forestry, and fisheries damage services. In some municipalities, damage to business premises qualifies for a disaster-affected property certificate. If Your Business Was Damaged / Disaster information from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Government / Chiba Prefecture Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department Government

From one month: support payments, loans, donations, and mental health care

This is when disaster damage certificates begin to arrive and applications open for support payments and loans based on the classification. It is also when accumulated fatigue often appears.

• National and prefectural livelihood recovery support payments for disaster victims. Payments depend on the damage classification, such as total destruction, large-scale partial destruction, or medium-scale partial destruction, and the later housing recovery method, such as construction, purchase, repair, or rental. Basic and additional support payments have different application deadlines. Apply through your municipality. Deadline applies Disaster Victim Livelihood Recovery Support System (Cabinet Office) Government / Chiba Prefecture Disaster Victim Livelihood Recovery Support Program Government
• Disaster relief fund and livelihood welfare fund loans, disaster condolence money, and relief payments. Do not confuse loans, which must be repaid, with benefits, which do not. Municipalities and Councils of Social Welfare are the contact points. Overview of Programs for Disaster Victims (Cabinet Office PDF) Government / Chiba Prefecture Council of Social Welfare Social Welfare Council
• Distribution of relief donations. Donations received by the prefecture and municipalities are distributed according to the degree of damage. Official prefectural and municipal sources announce when distribution begins and how to apply. Calls claiming that you must pay a fee to receive a donation are scams. Chiba Prefecture response page Government
• Emergency repairs and publicly funded demolition. As a rule, the municipality pays the contractor directly for emergency repairs. Homes classified as at least partially destroyed may qualify for publicly funded demolition and removal. Application deadlines apply. Deadline applies Disaster waste measures (Ministry of the Environment) Government / Municipal pages
• Mental health care. You may be unable to sleep or begin cleaning, a child may regress, or you may become irritable. These are natural reactions for about a month, but seek help when you are struggling. Pay particular attention to children and older people. Mental health care during disasters (Chiba Prefectural Mental Health and Welfare Center) Government / Mental health and personal concern consultation services (Chiba Prefecture) Government / Kokoro no Mimi mental health portal (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) Government

From three months to six months and one year: rebuilding choices, tax filing, and final deadline checks

• Decide what to do about your home. You may repair and return, rebuild, or move. Your choice affects additional support payments and prefectural support. Before deciding, ask the municipal service counter, “Which programs can I use if I choose this option?” Chiba Prefecture Disaster Victim Livelihood Recovery Support Program Government
• Claim either a casualty loss deduction or relief under the Disaster Tax Reduction and Exemption Act on the following year’s tax return. Damage to a home, household belongings, or car, as well as disaster-related cleanup and repair expenses, may qualify. This is when you need the receipts and photos from the first week. Ask the National Tax Agency or tax office which option is better. Salaried employees can also file. Deadline applies Casualty loss deduction (National Tax Agency) Government / Income tax relief under the Disaster Tax Reduction and Exemption Act (National Tax Agency) Government
• Check the disaster damage certificate deadline, additional support payment applications, and the emergency temporary housing period. Each municipality sets its own deadlines. Do not keep postponing procedures; check official notices on your municipal page again. Deadline applies Municipal pages

Records to keep because they matter later

A photo folder on your smartphone and one envelope are enough. Do not send these records to this site.

• Photos: Before cleanup, photograph the building from all four sides, floodwater depth, damage in each room, discarded household items, and vehicles. Use a setting that preserves the date and time.
• Receipts: Keep receipts for tools, cleaning, repair and demolition contractors, accommodation, moving, rental cars, replacement household items, and medical visits. Put them in one envelope in date order.
• Notes on damage and expenses: Record when and how high the water rose, when it receded, whom you asked to do what, and how much you paid. Use a notebook or notes on your phone.
• Communication records: Record exchanges with insurers, landlords, contractors, and your municipality, including the date, staff member, and what was said.
• Certificate copies: More than one organization may ask for the original disaster damage or disaster-affected property certificate. Keep copies.

At any time: where to ask for help

• Chiba Bar Association: help for people affected by disasters for rentals, loans, insurance, and disputes with neighbors Bar Association
• Chiba Prefectural Consumer Affairs Center for contract problems and sales practices exploiting the disaster Government
• Chiba Prefecture mental health consultation services Government
• Chiba Prefecture Council of Social Welfare for living expenses and volunteer help Social Welfare Council
• Damage from the August 2026 Chiba heavy rain (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) Government
• Prefectural and national support / If Your Home Was Damaged / If Your Business Was Damaged / Transport and Daily Life

If your problem is not listed, first contact the main service counter of your municipality. The municipal pages include buttons to official websites.