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The Takaichi government has rushed Self-Defense Forces (SDF) units to Kumamoto to provide relief to the earthquake-stricken prefecture. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is ready to cut the consumption tax on foodstuffs. Japan’s population decline picks up pace, while its foreign population is larger than ever. Pollsters identify the drivers of the government’s falling approval ratings.
The Japanese government has confirmed that at least twenty-eight people have died as a result of the large earthquake that struck Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, 28 July.
The Takaichi government immediately convened an emergency disaster response headquarters on Tuesday, the first since the earthquake that struck the Noto peninsula on the Sea of Japan coast in January 2024. The Ministry of Defense quickly mobilized the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), deploying 4600 SDF personnel as of Wednesday to deliver relief, including mobile air conditioning and water to shelters. The SDF has also assisted with search-and-rescue operations at the Aeon mall that exploded following the earthquake. Opposition party leaders have called on the government to ensure that residents have help dealing with the extreme heat.
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