Posts

Kirk here with a question about an approach to information gathering that was not possible during the 2016 quakes. Now that we have AI, a person who can't read Japanese (or doesn't want to wade through a lot of Japanese) can ask an AI service to do research based on Japanese sources and get back a clear, actionable response.
For example, you might pose a question like one of these:
- "I live at such-and-such location and my water's off — who do I contact, and is there any word on when it'll be back?"
- "What does this notice from the city actually mean for me?"
If you've done anything like this since the earthquake, I'd really like to hear about it:
- What did you ask?
- What did AI find for you that you couldn't easily have gotten otherwise?
- Did it get anything wrong, or miss something important? (Just as useful to know — maybe more.)
I'm interested in this because I think the availability of AI may have significant implications for the older model of disaster assistance, where Japanese people or more experienced expats provide information or answer questions. AI should make it easier for individuals to take the initiative, even if they don't know the language well yet and are not familiar with the ins and outs of various social institutions. And, more practically, I'm hoping that the comments you post below will give other readers ideas about ways to make good use of AI and pitfalls to avoid.

Useful information.
Atsuko (ง •̀_•́)ง
Translated page
https://kumamoto--saigai--shien-netlify-app.translate.goog/?fbclid=IwdGRjcATX0QpwZG9mBWZkaWQWULiWf4EZpoDOuWAOpMQkFi2SG0ohKWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6W_SAHc2cO_rT7TbUpZPc3BwfzI0NmXDDIkpF7DwwgDvPeGKAwzunYDy_MBA_aem_05MzaVdWPZQwd_gxFwBM8g&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en
Original page
https://kumamoto-saigai-shien.netlify.app/?fbclid=IwdGRjcATX02NwZG9mBWZkaWQWULi7UXrwV0raiT_SNq0MoNj2Ycl5p2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7uPV6LxsnRzhGdrK1wW7Hb7LImrcujHKRgMZL82qVp4u3lCj6sbyHdzT9iwg_aem_5tZx8j6dYtAdccehwy53mA

I shared this article earlier, but I did not realize the importance of the passage shown in the screenshot until just now.
It appears that, for some reason, the gas supply did not shut off automatically. But that raises another question: Why was it not—or could it not be—shut off manually?
In Japan, people are often reminded to close the main gas shutoff valve—元栓（もとせん, motosen）—when leaving home, especially in an emergency. Was there a manual shutoff valve for the mall’s gas supply? If so, could it have been closed after the earthquake? Could it really be that no one thought to do so, or was manual shutoff somehow impossible?
-- Kirk
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/after-quake-came-blast-inside-japans-shopping-mall-disaster-2026-07-29/

NHK World issued this video, featuring Andrew Mitchell's calls for preparedness, in 2024. Seems quite timely now. -- Kirk
Japan earthquake: Things I learned from the Kumamoto disasterーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
Do you know what to do when disaster strikes? If you don't, Andrew ...

I haven't been able to write much about the paper mill:
"At the paper mill, a chimney collapsed, it said. Multiple people were unaccounted for at the mill, according to Kumamoto Prefecture's Disaster Management Headquarters, which said their safety and whereabouts were unknown. Five people died at the mill, NHK reported."
-- Kirk
Kumamoto earthquake death toll climbs to 14 - UPI.com
The death toll from a strong earthquake that struck southwestern Japan climbed to 14 on Wednesday.

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.

I'd like to thank Atsuko for her excellent post yesterday about where to find all kinds of practical information related to quake recovery. Atsuko posted a Google translate address but I'd like to share the original URL:
https://imacoco-navi.netlify.app/
The Google Translate URL worked on my computer but only for a moment — the text came out in English, and then the tabs and buttons stopped responding.
Here's why, in plain terms. When you use a translate.google.com link, Google doesn't send you to the real site. It fetches the page, rewrites it, and hands you a copy. That's fine for an ordinary page of text. But this site is a live board: the reports load in a few seconds after the page opens, and the tabs ("Water outage," "Power outage"), the filters, and the reporting form all work by updating the page as you tap. Google's rewritten copy can't keep up with that, so the first screen translates and then nothing moves.
So I'd suggest going straight to the Japanese URL above and letting your own browser translate it. Chrome, Safari, and Edge all have translation built in, and they translate the page where it sits, leaving the site itself running — so the tabs and buttons keep working. (Firefox is the exception; its Japanese translation is unreliable, so use one of the other three.) The screenshots here are the real site in Chrome on my iPhone, in English, with the tabs working normally.
On an iPhone or iPad: in Chrome, tap the ⋯ menu and choose "Translate…" — or in Safari, tap the "aA" button at the left of the address bar and choose "Translate to English."
On Android: open it in Chrome, tap the ⋮ menu, and choose "Translate…"
On a computer: open it in Chrome or Edge and right-click anywhere on the page → "Translate to English."
One tip: wait a few seconds for the reports to appear before you translate. And if you can, check place names against the Japanese — machine translation handles the status labels well, but it does odd things to Japanese addresses (one entry came out as "Near the side of the ship"). When it matters, the Japanese text underneath is the reliable version.
Kirk (with an assist in text preparation from Claude by Anthropic)
P.S. Here's the original post from Atsuko.
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02h5h4dADJG9ustLGWTPFU1Ma2i5HLHZioG68pWWeygwDuhhsCT793CU83fJYQELg3l

The 84 centimeters figure seems to be an average. The article says that the ground moved 2.2 meters at one point. -- Kirk
Ground in Kumamoto City Moves 84 Centimeters in Quake
Tokyo, July 29 (Jiji Press)--The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan has said the ground surface in the …

I heard on NHK today that there are a lot of unfounded rumors circulating on the internet, some blaming foreigners for what has happened. I did just a little searching and this (that is, the original Japanese) came up right away. The image is one I made from a screenshot of a ChatGPT translation of the X post I found. The post is not only hateful; it seems indicative of some sort of psychosis. Yet, this crazy post has 71 "loves" and 20 reposts -- a lot more support than anything I've posted on Kumamoto International recently.
On the more positive side, there are people on X and elsewhere who a calling craziness like this out. Even so, that fact that this person has found an audience, even if a fairly modest one, is rather disturbing.
-- Kirk
https://x.com/kumamotonature/status/2082374796407673016

At 10:19 we had another aftershock.
https://www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/quake/quake_detail.html?eventID=20260729222523&lang=en
-- Kirk

Is everyone okay? Are you and your families safe?
It seems that my family here in Kumamoto City is safe, but I became a little worried today when I found that gas stations everywhere had run out of fuel.
I think many people in Kumamoto still have strong memories of the prolonged impact of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes and the days spent sheltering in their cars. That may be why gasoline disappeared so quickly.
While talking about these concerns, one of my coworkers shared a very helpful information page with me, so I'd like to share it here as well.
Let's support each other and get through this together!
Stay safe, everyone.(ง •̀_•́)งAtsuko
https://imacoco--navi-netlify-app.translate.goog/?fbclid=PAdGRleATWtb1wZG9mAmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABpxP5VnIkTbQb2OAH7vh6_rvi5tT2KnIpNcImsX9_JZpgHriWXrrMvWBIB6RJ_aem_U_kYXYu_3egZLalvaZrEKg&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Here's a share from the Kumamoto Prefecture Foreign Residents Support Center
--- start quote ---
To foreign residents of Kumamoto
If you have any problems because of the earthquake, please call us.
We can provide interpreting support by phone.
080-4275-4489
070-5696-4810
(Kumamoto Prefecture Foreign Residents Support Center)
--- end quote ---
-- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/KumamotoSupportCenterforForeignResidents/posts/pfbid02DGTzEqdgaGqod9QMfErjS7TttDYRSVRPPkT26sfmAKEvq1Brejh5Rmj6p4ZZAkwl

Detailed article including comments from Andrew Mitchell. -- Kirk
Kumamoto disaster leaves at least 13 dead, Takaichi says
The toll was expected to rise, with scores still missing following the magnitude 7.1 quake, as rescuers continued to hunt for survivors amid rising temperatures.

Here's a video from a car that captured the moment of the explosion. -- Kirk
熊本地震 イオンモール熊本 爆発の瞬間がカメラに｜NHK｜#nhk_news
【熊本地震 イオンモール熊本で爆発の瞬間がカメラに】熊本県嘉島町のイオンモール熊本で爆発が起きた時、現場付近を走っていた車のドライブ...

A rather disturbing video of the situation inside of Kumamoto's Costco at the time of the quakes. I really feel for the children who were terrified by the situation. -- Kirk
熊本の地震でコストコもヤバいことに…子供がかわいそう #Shorts #地震 #熊本 #コストコ #災害 #熊本地震
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

This is a video of the insides of the Aeon Mall, filmed by a rescue worker, I assume. I just heard on TV that 3 deaths have been confirmed and 4 people are unaccounted for at the mall. -- Kirk
【動画】鉄骨むき出し、床に建材散乱　爆発起きたイオンモール熊本内部の映像を警察庁が公開
熊本県で28日に起きた最大震度7の地震で、爆発が起きて死者2人が確認された「イオンモール熊本」（同県嘉島町）について、警察庁は29日、建物内部の捜索状況を撮影…

Kumamoto City has announced that approximately 9,000 households in Jonan Town, Minami Ward, lost their water supply following the earthquake that occurred on the 28th.
Starting at 8:00 a.m. on the 29th, the city will open water distribution stations at 10 locations, including the Hinokimi Cultural Center.
In addition to the Hinokimi Cultural Center, water distribution stations will be available at:
Rikigo Elementary School
Jonan Elementary School
Akita Minami Elementary School
Kumasho Elementary School
Toyoda Elementary School
Rikigo Nishi Elementary School
Tenmei Junior High School
Tomiai Junior High School
Miyuki Elementary School
The city has also opened 182 evacuation shelters throughout Kumamoto City.
Among them, Kyushu Animal Academy and Suizenji Stadium are accepting evacuees with pets.
In addition, Aquadome Kumamoto and Kumamoto Keirin Velodrome are accepting people who wish to evacuate and stay in their vehicles.
We hope everyone affected by the earthquake stays safe and has access to the support they need.
chat GPT translation.
Stay safe (*•̀ㅂ•́)و✧Atsuko

Here's a video featuring an interview with our friend, Andrew Mitchell. -- Kirk
'Nothing really prepares you': Survivor recounts Japan earthquake | Hanomansing Tonight
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture left many people trapped after a shopping mall partially collapsed. Andrew Mitchell, who survived the quake, reflects on the experience and shares why earthquake preparedness remains important.

Atsuko posted about train service (sharing information from Kuma Visit). Here's a link directly to the JR KYUSHU site. You can chose English or another language on the page. At this writing, it says that everything in and out of Kumamoto is canceled for now -- but check for yourself to make sure. -- Kirk
運行情報（熊本） | JR九州

This occurred nearer the epicenter than the Aeon Mall tragedy. -- Kirk
2 people found in state of cardiopulmonary arrest at Kumamoto factory | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
Officials in Kumamoto Prefecture report that two people were found in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest at a factory in Yatsushiro City. They say that nine other individuals are unaccounted for.