The Immigration Services Agency said Wednesday it will extend by six months a program providing financial assistance to evacuees who fled to the country from Ukraine following Russia's invasion.
As the current six-month support period is due to expire from late September, the agency has decided to extend the program for evacuees living in Japan without guarantors for an additional 180 days.
A total of 224 people have received the assistance so far, according to the agency. As of Monday, Japan had accepted 1,878 evacuees from Ukraine.
Currently, 190 evacuees are receiving the aid, including 104 who are still living in temporary accommodation arranged by the agency.
Japan is providing the support on a case-by-case basis as even some with guarantors in the country struggle to get enough help, particularly as Russia's invasion drags on, prolonging their stays in Japan.
The agency has worked to connect evacuees without guarantors to municipalities and companies in various parts of the country where they are then provided with accommodation.
Once settled, the government provides daily payments of ¥2,400 per person to those age 12 or older and ¥1,600 per person in the case of a family from the second member onward. A child until the age of 11 can receive ¥1,200 each day.
The daily support is in addition to a one-off payment of ¥160,000 for those age 16 or older — and ¥80,000 for children under age 16 — for items including furniture and appliances.