Joe Tomei here. A couple of earthquake related observations. A lot of convenience stores are quite low in terms of products and the first reaction might be to panic, but one should remember that because these stores operate on a just in time stocking (most convenience stores are stocked 3-4 times a day), it isn't that there are a lack of products, but rather difficulty transporting them to Kumamoto. My wife just mentioned that some tempers were getting frayed at a local 7-11 and I worry a bit that foreign staff might be harassed for problems that are out of their control. Anyway, something to keep in mind if/when you are confronted with it.

Also, part of the Kyushu expressway near Yatsushiro was damaged. It's quite interesting to compare the damage there with what happened in the Hanshin earthquake in the photos below. Additional design features have been added so that the support pillars remain in place and the roadbed absorbs the force of the earthquake. This will make repair much easier as well as less costly.

I'd also note that a lot of the systems put in place after the 2016 earthquake have been operative and I've gotten messages both from my full time employer (KGU) and my part time employer (PUK) checking on me. While my first impulse was hey I'm fine, I can ignore this as it wasn't that big a deal, having as large a percentage of people responding to these systems ensures that they operate well in the future. It may seem like overkill, until it doesn't. Stay safe.