Imperial couple visit quake-hit Kumamoto to meet with disaster victims
KUMAMOTO, Japan (Kyodo) -- Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrived in Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan on Wednesday to meet with people a
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako traveled to Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan on Wednesday to meet with those impacted by the July magnitude 7.1 earthquake. The imperial couple will fly to the hardest-hit areas of Yatsushiro, Hikawa, and Uki via SDF helicopter. Their one-day visit, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The July 28 quake resulted in 38 deaths, of which 20 occurred in Yatsushiro. Approximately 1,400 residents are still living in evacuation shelters. This will mark the sixth time the couple has extended their condolences to disaster-affected regions since the throne was assumed by Emperor Naruhito in 2019. Their inaugural visit since December 2024, when they toured Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture following a rain disaster, is set to take place today.
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