Published: July 28, 2026
By: TAD Editorial Team
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KUMAMOTO, Japan —
A powerful earthquake rattled Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, leaving at least one person dead, damaging infrastructure, disrupting transportation networks and forcing major manufacturers to suspend operations as authorities warned residents to prepare for additional strong aftershocks.
The quake struck near Kumamoto Prefecture, with its epicenter located roughly 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto City. Although an initial tsunami warning was issued shortly after the tremor, Japan’s Meteorological Agency later lifted the alert after determining that a significant tsunami was unlikely.
Emergency officials immediately launched rescue operations across the affected region as reports emerged of collapsed buildings, damaged roads and widespread power outages.
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Emergency Response Underway
Authorities said emergency crews were dispatched to numerous locations where buildings had partially collapsed or caught fire following the earthquake.
Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi reported that one person died after a structure collapsed in a town near the epicenter. Rescue teams continued searching damaged buildings while firefighters worked to extinguish several blazes triggered by the shaking.
Officials urged residents to avoid unstable structures as engineers began inspecting public buildings, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
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Roads, Railways and Flights Disrupted
Transportation across central Kyushu experienced significant disruption.
Large cracks appeared on several major highways, slowing traffic and forcing temporary road closures in affected areas.
Rail operator JR Kyushu suspended multiple train services, including sections of the region’s high-speed Shinkansen network, while Kumamoto Airport temporarily closed its runway, resulting in numerous flight cancellations and diversions.
Authorities said transportation services would gradually resume only after comprehensive safety inspections had been completed.
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Thousands Left Without Electricity
The earthquake also disrupted electricity and telecommunications across Kumamoto and neighboring communities.
Regional utility provider Kyushu Electric Power reported that approximately 48,000 households lost electricity following the quake.
Mobile communication services operated by KDDI and NTT Docomo also experienced temporary disruptions caused by power failures and damage to transmission infrastructure.
Officials warned that restoring essential services could take time in the hardest-hit areas.
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Manufacturers Suspend Operations
The earthquake affected several of Japan’s leading technology and manufacturing companies.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) temporarily evacuated workers from its Kumamoto semiconductor facility before later confirming that no major structural damage had been found. The company said production was gradually resuming after safety inspections.
Electronics manufacturer Sony and imaging company Fujifilm also evacuated employees from nearby facilities as a precaution.
Meanwhile, semiconductor equipment producer Tokyo Electron announced that operations at two Kumamoto factories would remain suspended through Wednesday, while Honda temporarily halted production at its motorcycle plant in the prefecture.
The temporary shutdowns highlighted the importance of Kyushu as one of Asia’s major semiconductor manufacturing hubs.
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Aftershocks Expected
Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned residents that the danger had not yet passed.
Officials said nearly 100 aftershocks had already been recorded following the main earthquake and cautioned that additional strong tremors could occur over the coming week.
