On July 29, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning presided over a regular press conference. A reporter from the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) asked about the situation following a strong earthquake that occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan yesterday, resulting in casualties. How does China view this earthquake disaster?
"We are closely following the earthquake that occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. We express our condolences to the victims and offer our sympathy to their families and the injured people."
Mao Ning said that Chinese embassies and consulates in Japan have immediately activated emergency mechanisms and issued consular warnings, asking Chinese citizens to take precautions against tsunamis and aftershocks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and Chinese embassies and consulates in Japan will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide assistance to Chinese citizens who need it.
According to a report by the Japan Coğrafi Information Agency, the Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto reported on the 29th that the number of deaths due to the earthquake has reached 12, with another 6 people in cardiac and respiratory arrest, and four people's identities are still unknown.
The Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced on the 29th that due to the earthquake, as of 8 a.m. that day, water supply was cut off for approximately 84,000 households in Kumamoto and Nagasaki prefectures. The water supply interruption in Saga Prefecture has been restored. Local governments are confirming the damage and are stepping up restoration work.
The specific areas affected by the water cut include about 20,000 households in Kumamoto City within Kumamoto Prefecture, approximately 18,000 households in Yaeschi City, and about 14,000 households in Uchisuka City. In Nagasaki Prefecture, about 280 households in Nanshima Prefecture have experienced water cut issues.
After the earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, several factories stopped production on the 29th.
According to reports, Japan Paper Manufacturing Co., Ltd.’s Yabe Plant (Yabe City, Kumamoto Prefecture) has suffered significant losses due to issues such as bent chimneys. The company is intensifying its efforts to assess the entire plant. The plant currently produces paper for books and newspapers.
Sony Group's semiconductor subsidiary, which operates a factory in Kikuyama Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, suspended production shortly after the earthquake. There is no sign of resuming operations. The semiconductor giant Renesas Electronics’ two factories in Kumamoto City and Kinjō Town have also ceased operations. Tokyo Electron, a major manufacturer of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, has also suspended operations at its two factories in Kumamoto Prefecture. Eriwan Manufacturing announced that its semiconductor manufacturing equipment factory located in Minakagun Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, has also ceased operations.
Honda has suspended production activities at its manufacturing facilities for motorcycles and other products at Kumamoto Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Kumamoto Prefecture, Oita Prefecture. Aisin, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, also temporarily stopped production at Aisin Kyushu in Kumamoto City. The three factories of Toyota Motor Kyushu located in Fukuoka Prefecture resumed production starting from the morning of the 29th.
Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s Kyushu facilities in Kumamoto region (Udō City, Kumamoto Prefecture), Bridgestone Kumamoto Factory (Tamano City, Kumamoto Prefecture), Kuchiyume Kyushu Asahi Factory (Yasumatsu Town, Kumamoto Prefecture), and Suntory Holdings Kyushu Kumamoto Factory (Kashima Town, Kumamoto Prefecture) also continue to suspend production.
The Japan Post Corporation has suspended the window services at post offices in Kumamoto Prefecture. Yamato Transportation has stopped accepting goods sent and received in Kumamoto Prefecture, and Sogo Express has stopped collecting and delivering packages in some areas.
Some mobile communication operators have experienced signal issues in certain areas. Some stores of 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson have also suspended operations.
