Deadly earthquake in Japan collapses mall, damages 400-year-old castle

A powerful, magnitude 7.1 earthquake Tuesday afternoon in southwestern Japan killed at least 13 people, collapsed a shopping mall and damaged a 400-year-old landmark, according to morning-after reports.

Scores of people were injured across Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, and several remain unaccounted for at the collapsed Aeon Mall in Kashima, according to The Associated Press.

The shopping center’s second floor collapsed after an explosion believed to be the result of a gas leak, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Stone walls at Kumamoto Castle, built in 1607 and still under repair after a 2016 quake, were further damaged, according to The Asahi Shimbun.

At the Nippon Paper Industries Co.’s factory in Yatsushiro, a chimney collapsed and damaged the building, trapping 11 people, the newspaper reported. Two were recovered without vital signs.

At least 90 people arrived for treatment at hospitals in Kumamoto and Yatsushiro cities, according to the paper.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in a post Wednesday on X confirmed 13 fatalities due to the earthquake, with the death toll likely to rise.

“Human casualties, collapsed buildings, damaged roads, fires, and other extensive damage have already been confirmed,” Takaichi said in a separate post.

Police and fire personnel, the Japan coast guard and the military are conducting search and rescue operations, she said.

After extending “heartfelt sympathies to everyone affected by this disaster,” Takaichi said the Japan Self-Defense Forces have sent approximately 3,600 personnel for relief missions following a request from the prefecture.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass on Wednesday afternoon posted on X an offer of assistance.

“Our thoughts are with the people of Kumamoto and the emergency workers continuing their rescue efforts following yesterday’s powerful earthquake,” his post reads. “The United States stands ready to help in any way it can.”

Two hours after the quake, Sasebo Naval Base spokesman Aki Nichols told Stars and Stripes there were no injuries or damage at the installation or interruption to services or activities. Sasebo, 111 miles from Kumamoto city, is homeport for the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, flagship of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group.

Residents of the naval base may notice discolored or cloudy water, the result of minerals knocked loose in distribution lines, the base posted Tuesday evening on Facebook. The water should clear up after running a while, the post said.

The Tripoli returned to Sasebo on Monday after six months at sea, including four months in the Arabian Sea with the group, including the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Okinawa, supporting the war against Iran.

It was unclear Wednesday morning if U.S. troops would be called upon to assist with rescue and recovery efforts.

“We are aware of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Kumamoto, and [U.S. Forces Japan] leaders have been in touch with our partners in the Japan Self-Defense Forces,” USFJ wrote late Tuesday on X. “Initial reports indicate no damage to any U.S. facilities in the region. Our thoughts and prayers are with our Japanese hosts.”

Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo — headquarters of USFJ and the 374th Airlift Wing — posted about the disaster on X early Wednesday: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to everyone affected by the Kumamoto Earthquake … we sincerely pray for the safety of those in the disaster areas and that a peaceful daily life may return as soon as possible. We also express our profound respect to all those who are dedicating themselves to rescue and relief efforts, as well as to recovery operations.”

Yokota was the focal point for airlift operations to provide relief following the magnitude 9.1 Tohoku region earthquake and tsunami of 2011 that devastated a swathe of northeastern Japan. The wing also provided airlifters for relief following the 2016 earthquake in Kumatomo.

The epicenter on Kyushu’s western coast was a shallow 6.2 miles deep, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The agency reported “long-period ground motion,” meaning shaking lasted several minutes. NHK reported Class 4 shaking in Kumamoto, ground movement so strong that people cannot move without crawling and furniture will topple.

A tsunami warning issued by the agency expired at 6:10 p.m.

The last earthquake of this magnitude in Japan occurred Jan. 1, 2024, on the Noto Peninsula on Honshu, the country’s largest island. Immediate casualties in that event numbered nearly 300, according to media accounts.