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Imperial visits to Kumamoto earthquake victims

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2026-09-30 12:01 UTC → 2026-10-07 18:06 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako completed their visit to Kumamoto Prefecture on September 30, 2026, to offer condolences to those affected by the powerful earthquake that struck in late July. The trip, which was delayed from September 29 due to poor weather, included stops in Yatsushiro, Hikawa, and Uki. In Yatsushiro, the Imperial couple visited an evacuation shelter to speak with residents and offered sympathies regarding their experiences. They also visited the Nippon Paper Industries Yatsushiro plant, where a chimney collapse caused nine deaths, and the Aeon Mall Kumamoto facility, where an explosion killed seven people. While traveling through Hikawa and Uki, the Emperor and Empress interacted with local residents and children, providing comfort with words such as, “You must have been very scared.” To show solidarity with the disaster-stricken area, the Imperial couple wore ‘Kumamon’ character pins, a gesture inspired by the local governor. This visit serves as a gesture of support for reconstruction efforts in a region still recovering from the massive 2016 earthquakes.

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