Meeting of the Emergency Headquarters for the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake

On August 7, 2026, Prime Minister TAKAICHI attended the eighth meeting of the Emergency Headquarters for the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake at the Prime Minister's Office.

Based on today's discussion, the Prime Minister made the following remarks.

(Prime Minister TAKAICHI) 
Thank you all once again for your continued efforts.

Today marks the tenth day since the earthquake struck.

Yesterday, a forest fire broke out in Uki City. Despite the difficulty of securing sufficient water for firefighting due to ongoing water outages, the fire was successfully contained through the tireless efforts of firefighters and members of the Self-Defense Forces. I would first like to express my deep appreciation to everyone involved for their dedicated work.

The impact of the earthquake continues to be wide-ranging.

I ask each minister to promptly identify what further actions are required so that we can respond effectively even to potential risks that may not yet have materialized, and to continue advancing our efforts proactively.

Regarding water outages, service has now been fully restored throughout Kosa Town. In addition, water service has resumed in parts of Yatsushiro City and Uki City. Nevertheless, more than 30,000 households remain without running water, and restoring service as quickly as possible remains an urgent priority.

Minister KANEKO, please accelerate the emergency restoration of water and sewerage systems with the goal of eliminating all water outages by the end of August. This includes ensuring rigorous project management and, where necessary, installing temporary above-ground water pipelines as an emergency measure.

Steady progress is also being made both within and outside Kumamoto Prefecture in facilitating secondary evacuation to hotels and traditional Japanese inns, as well as in arranging accommodation in public housing and national government employee housing, all of which are essential to providing those affected with a safe and comfortable living environment.

As for securing temporary housing, construction of temporary prefabricated housing has already begun in Uki City and Hikawa Town, while other municipalities are proceeding with preparations, including confirming construction sites. In addition, applications for rental-type temporary housing have already opened in twelve municipalities, including Yatsushiro City.

Minister AKAMA, please provide hands-on support to municipalities so that evacuation to secondary evacuation facilities and admission to temporary housing can be completed as quickly as possible.

To encourage those affected to relocate with peace of mind to hotels and other secondary evacuation facilities or into temporary housing, it is essential to deter crimes such as burglary that exploit the disaster.

We are currently installing 250 security cameras in areas where many evacuees are staying and in locations where crime is a concern. In addition, we will install 700 more security cameras.

I ask the police not only to strengthen community patrols and consultation services at evacuation shelters through the Police Disaster Response Units dispatched from police departments nationwide, but also to expedite the installation of these security cameras and make every effort to ensure the safety and security of those affected.

Please also provide timely information that will help reassure affected residents, including updates on patrol activities and crime prevention information through social media and other channels.

Thanks to the generous support of local governments across Japan, the number of local government officials dispatched to assist affected municipalities continues to grow each day.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all local governments throughout the country.

Even so, affected municipalities continue to request additional personnel.

Minister HAYASHI, please continue coordinating among local governments so that the assistance required by those affected can be delivered without delay.

As for disaster volunteers, Disaster Volunteer Centers established in nine affected municipalities, including Uki City and Hikawa Town, have begun operations as of today. Coordination of assistance by NPOs and other organizations with specialized expertise has also commenced.

Minister AKAMA, together with the relevant ministries and agencies, please continue providing appropriate support for individual volunteers and organizations such as NPOs engaged in volunteer activities.

Today, the Cabinet approved the designation of this earthquake as both a Disaster of Extreme Severity and a Specified Disaster.

As a result, national subsidies for disaster recovery projects involving public civil engineering facilities, farmland, and other infrastructure will be expanded. In addition, measures such as extending the validity of driver's licenses will be implemented so that those affected can focus on rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.

Furthermore, with respect to damage suffered by small and medium-sized enterprises, the disaster is expected to qualify for designation as a Localized Disaster of Extreme Severity ("Kyokugeki"), making enhanced recovery assistance with higher national subsidy rates available to SMEs throughout Kumamoto Prefecture.

Minister AKAZAWA, while continuing to work closely with local governments to further assess the full extent of the damage in preparation for the designation as a Disaster of Extreme Severity, please also ensure that every possible measure is taken to support the business continuity and recovery of affected small and medium-sized enterprises.

As the overall picture of the damage becomes clearer, including its impact on regional industries, and as prospects for the emergency restoration of water services have begun to emerge, we must now strengthen our efforts toward full-scale recovery. This includes supporting farmers, foresters, fishers, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises and small businesses, so that affected communities can rebuild both their lives and their livelihoods.

I ask the Team for Supporting the Reconstruction of the Lives and Livelihoods of Disaster Victims to promptly compile a comprehensive package of support measures based on the needs identified in the affected areas.

As for Typhoon No. 13, it is moving westward in the vicinity of the Amami and Okinawa regions. Kumamoto Prefecture must also remain on full alert through around August 9.

The Government has procured blue tarps, primarily through the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, for emergency protection of homes damaged by the earthquake and to prevent rainwater intrusion and flooding caused by the approaching typhoon and heavy rainfall. Local construction industry associations and the Self-Defense Forces are assisting with deploying the tarps and installing them on damaged rooftops.

I ask the On-site Response Headquarters, working closely with local governments and relevant industries, to accelerate preparations for the approaching typhoon, including the installation of blue tarps on damaged roofs and other necessary protective measures.

Let us continue to move forward with determination, under our unwavering commitment to do everything we can, by bringing together the full strength of the Government for the benefit of the affected communities and all those impacted by this disaster.

Thank you.