noun-modifying (irregular)
requiring special assistance; needing support
Used in disaster preparedness and social welfare to describe people who need extra help, such as the elderly, infants, or those with disabilities. Often appears in compound terms like 要援護者.
災害時には要援護者の避難を優先してください。
In a disaster, please prioritize the evacuation of people requiring special assistance.
この地域の要援護世帯をリストアップした。
We listed the households needing support in this area.
要介護 refers specifically to people requiring nursing care under the long-term care insurance system, whereas 要援護 covers a wider range of vulnerable groups in emergency situations.
Compound of 要 (need, require) and 援護 (support, assistance). The term is a modern coinage used in administrative and disaster-related contexts.