More than 800 aftershocks have occurred in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures in southwestern Japan over the past 10 days.
A magnitude 6.5 quake on April 14th registered 7 on the Japanese intensity scale of zero to 7 in Mashiki Town, Kumamoto Prefecture. It was followed by a magnitude 7.3 quake on April 16th that also registered an intensity of 7 in Mashiki and neighboring Nishihara Village.
More than 100 aftershocks per day were recorded from April 15th through 17th. This week saw the number decreasing. Forty-one quakes were recorded on Friday, and 22 as of 8 PM on Saturday.
Weather officials say seismic activity has been cyclical and warn the overall trend continues to be active.
In Kumamoto Prefecture, 48 people have been confirmed dead and 2 are missing.
The prefectural government says an additional 12 people have died due to quake-related factors, such as the physical burden caused by evacuation.
熊本 南阿蘇村の捜索 雨強まり中断
Apr 24
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday visited quake-stricken Kumamoto Prefecture and pledged to make an all-out effort to help evacuees improve their situation.
(NHK) Apr 24
More than 800 aftershocks have occurred in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures in southwestern Japan over the past 10 days.
(NHK) Apr 24
The South Korean military has suggested that North Korea's apparent launch of a ballistic missile from a submarine ended in failure.
(NHK) Apr 23
A bridge beam fell in Kobe, western Japan, during extension work for the Shin-Meishin Expressway on Friday afternoon, killing two people and injuring eight others.
(Jiji Press) Apr 23
A prototype of Japan's first domestically developed stealth jet made its 26-minute maiden flight in central Japan on Friday.
(the-japan-news.com)
Apr 23
Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors plans to compensate customers in a bid to limit the fallout from a fuel-efficiency cheating scandal, the Nikkei reported on Saturday.
(globalpost.com) Apr 23
Japan's Environment Ministry said Friday a chick has been hatched from an egg produced by a pair of wild crested ibises on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, central Japan.
(Jiji Press) Apr 23
Online retail giant Amazon Japan has begun a service to enable users to buy items needed at emergency shelters in Kumamoto City after it was hit hard by powerful earthquakes last week.
(NHK) Apr 23
More than 80,000 people were taking shelter in Kumamoto and nearby areas of southwestern Japan as of Friday. Jolts are still hitting the region after last week's powerful earthquakes.
(NHK) Apr 23
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 21-year-old man who is believed to have posed as an officer to molest young girls in the western part of the capital, reports the Sankei Shimbun (April 21).
(Tokyo Reporter)