Japan's Emperor, Empress mourn Kumamoto earthquake victims

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan have conveyed their deep sorrow over the loss of life and offered words of comfort to residents affected by the recent earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture. The Imperial Household Agency announced that the Emperor and Empress were "deeply pained" upon learning of the disaster's extent.

The Imperial couple expressed their condolences to the families of those who perished and hoped for the swift rescue of individuals whose safety remains unconfirmed. They also acknowledged the anxiety faced by the families of the missing and extended their thoughts to residents enduring evacuation conditions amidst ongoing water outages, power disruptions, and aftershocks, particularly during the current heatwave.

Significantly, the Emperor and Empress expressed profound sadness that Kumamoto Prefecture, still in the process of recovering from the devastating 2016 earthquake, has suffered such extensive damage once again. In response to the tragedy, the Imperial couple, along with their daughter Princess Aiko, have canceled a planned seven-day summer retreat to Shimoda city in Shizuoka Prefecture, originally scheduled to begin on August 3rd.

The Imperial Household Agency stated that the cancellation was a direct result of the Emperor's deep concern for the victims of the Kumamoto earthquake. The Japanese Imperial family has a history of visiting disaster-stricken areas and offering solace to those affected, a tradition exemplified by Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko's visit to Kumamoto following the 2016 earthquake.