Overview
- A powerful, shallow earthquake registered at the highest intensity struck Kumamoto on July 28, forcing thousands of shoppers and staff to evacuate Aeon Mall and other sites.
- Hours after the quake on July 28, an explosion tore through part of Aeon Mall in Kashima, causing a partial second-floor collapse and killing multiple people.
- Habita, the variety-store operator, has acknowledged that two employees were ordered to re-enter the damaged mall to secure the day’s cash and that both died in the subsequent blast.
- Mall operators say a gas leak is the likely cause of the explosion and authorities have opened probes into the blast and into Habita’s decision to send workers back inside.
- Rescue teams have shifted to recovery and safety inspections while families and local officials press for clearer answers, legal accountability, and better protections for workers and evacuees.