Aeon Allowed Workers to Return to Kumamoto Mall before Blast
Tokyo, Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)--Japanese retailer Aeon Co. said Tuesday that it permitted some workers at shops in Aeon Mall Kumamoto to re-enter the earthquake-hit commercial facility just before a fatal explosion occurred there July 28. Workers at shops in Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, evacuated after a massive earthquake hit the southwestern prefecture that day. But...
Aeon, a Japanese retailer, permitted some employees at its Kumamoto shopping mall to return just before a deadly explosion on July 28, 2023. The earthquake had already prompted an evacuation at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture. However, several workers requested to return to retrieve personal items like car keys and mobile phones, as well as to secure cash registers.
Aeon granted temporary reentry, but questions emerged regarding the company's decision-making process. The blast claimed the lives of seven shop workers, prompting Aeon to reassess its earthquake disaster response rules. The company plans to allow employees to carry personal belongings during work to eliminate the need for reentry after evacuation.
The Kumamoto earthquake, with a seismic intensity of up to 7 on Japan's scale, struck around 4:30 p.m. on July 28. Aeon did not officially announce the lifting of evacuation orders or the lifting of restrictions on reentry. The company will investigate the incident through a committee of outside experts.
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- Aeon allowed workers to return to Kumamoto mall before blast japantimes.co.jp
