Aeon allowed workers to return to Kumamoto mall before blast
The building was evacuated after the quake but some workers had asked to return to their shops to secure the cash registers or collect personal items such as car keys.
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.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
