The Director-General of the Information Department revealed that all 455 Thai nationals in Kumamoto are safe after the earthquake in Japan, but they have been affected by temporary outages of electricity, water, and gas.
On 28 Jul 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Jaitai Upakarnitikaset, Director-General of the Information Department and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disclosed that a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred this afternoon (28 Jul 2026) in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, centered in Higawa city. The tremors were felt as far as Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Miyazaki, Oita, and Yamaguchi prefectures. The Consulate-General in Fukuoka reported widespread damage in the affected areas, impacting services and infrastructure such as public transportation, trains, and high-speed rail, which have suspended operations on multiple routes. Additionally, Kumamoto's airport is currently closed, along with disruptions to electricity and water services in many areas.
Approximately 455 Thai nationals reside in Kumamoto Prefecture. The Consulate-General has contacted the Thai community and confirmed their safety, though they may be experiencing temporary outages of electricity, water, and gas as safety measures. Some have evacuated to shelters following local government advice. There have been no reports of severe impacts on Thai nationals in other prefectures where the tremors were felt.
Thai nationals needing assistance can contact the Consulate-General in Fukuoka at telephone number 090-2585-3027.