YATSUSHIRO, Kumamoto Prefecture — Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako traveled to Kumamoto Prefecture on September 30 to offer their deepest sympathies and support to victims of the devastating earthquake that struck the region in July.
The Imperial couple arrived at Kumamoto Airport aboard a special aircraft before boarding a Self-Defense Forces helicopter to travel across the prefecture. Throughout the day, they visited several of the hardest-hit municipalities, including Yatsushiro, Hikawa, and Uki, to assess the damage and meet with those displaced by the disaster.
Upon arriving at a temporary heliport in Yatsushiro, the Emperor and Empress received a briefing from Kumamoto Governor Takashi Kimura regarding the tragic industrial accident at the Nippon Paper Industries Co.’s Yatsushiro mill. A chimney collapse at the facility during the earthquake resulted in the deaths of nine workers. Following the briefing, the couple stood in somber silence, bowing toward the disaster-stricken areas in a gesture of mourning for those lost.
The couple then proceeded to Sakurajuji Hall Yatsushiro, where approximately 80 evacuees are currently seeking shelter. As they moved through the area, the Imperial couple paused for an unscheduled stop to greet residents of a nearby nursing home who had gathered outside. Sporting pins of the popular prefectural mascot, “Kumamon,” on their clothing, the Emperor and Empress greeted the crowds with smiles and waves.
Inside the hall, the couple spent time speaking with 12 evacuees. Among them were Koichi Tomita, 82, and his wife, Tomoko, 81, whose lives were upended once again by the recent disaster. The couple had previously suffered through the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes and were only days away from completing repairs on their home when the July 28 quake struck, causing fresh destruction.
“It must have been very difficult,” the Emperor said to the pair. “Please take care of your health.”
The interaction left a deep impression on the couple. “I had been feeling down, but now I feel much brighter,” Koichi Tomita said following the meeting. His wife, Tomoko, added with a smile, “It feels as though my sadness has been blown away.”
The visit to Yatsushiro also included a lighthearted moment regarding their attire. After noticing the Kumamon pin on Governor Kimura’s chest, the Emperor and Empress readily accepted his offer to wear the pins themselves, continuing a tradition of solidarity established by Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko during their own visits to the region in 2016.
The couple concluded their tour with a visit to the Kashima temporary housing complex in Hikawa. Throughout the day, the Emperor and Empress were seen repeatedly bending and crouching to speak to evacuees at eye level, listening intently to their stories. “You have been through a very difficult time,” the Emperor said, while the Empress added, “You must have been frightened,” as they continued their efforts to provide comfort to a community still reeling from the tragedy.
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