Overview
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday ordered health centers and police to increase patrols of evacuees and directed ministers to step up health checks after the Kumamoto earthquake.
- The Self‑Defense Forces have begun installing temporary shower units and the government is deploying mobile water‑purification equipment and extra water deliveries to ease severe shortages.
- Officials told ministers to aim for provisional water service restoration next week and reported about 8,800 people staying in shelters, raising concerns about heatstroke, deep‑vein thrombosis and foodborne illness.
- The draw for the 108th National High School Baseball Championship was held online on Saturday and set early matchups, including Okinawa Shogaku vs. Yokohama and an opening game of Sapporo Nichidai vs. Sendai Ikuei.
- Sport and community news on Saturday included outfielder Yang Dai‑kang’s retirement press conference in Niigata, Hiroshima and Seibu baseball wins, an 11‑year‑old’s cicada exhibit at Horai‑ji museum, and the Izaki pole‑jump ritual in Omihachiman.