Breaking: Strong Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes Kumamoto, Japan – Historic Castle Wall Collapses, TSMC Plant Safety Draws Attention from Japan and South Korea

At 4:27 PM local time on April 28, a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan. The epicenter was located in the Kumamoto region, with a shallow focal depth of approximately 10 kilometers. Immediately after the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas along the Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas, forecasting waves up to one meter in height and urging residents near shorelines and river mouths to evacuate to higher ground without delay. In the immediate aftermath, social media was flooded with images and videos from Kumamoto showing widespread damage, including collapsed shelves inside supermarkets. The region's iconic tourist site, Kumamoto Castle, suffered partial collapse of its stone walls. According to Japanese media reports, the Kumamoto Castle General Office confirmed that part of the stone wall had collapsed, though fortunately no visitors were injured. The earthquake also triggered concerns over the safety of nuclear power facilities across Japan. As reported by the Asahi Shimbun, nuclear plants including Kyushu Electric's Sendai Nuclear Power Plant (in Kagoshima), Genkai Nuclear Power Plant (in Saga), and Shikoku Electric's Ikata Nuclear Power Plant (in Ehime Prefecture) have all reported 'no abnormalities' to the Nuclear Regulation Authority, with monitoring stations registering normal readings. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayato Kishida stated during a post-quake press conference that no abnormalities have been reported at nuclear facilities. The government is currently assessing casualties and property damage, prioritizing life-saving and disaster relief operations. Kishida warned the public, 'Aftershocks of magnitude 7 could still occur. Please remain vigilant and monitor evacuation information issued by local authorities.' However, the immediate focus of Japanese, South Korean, and Taiwanese media has overwhelmingly centered on whether TSMC's semiconductor manufacturing facility in Kumamoto was affected by the strong tremors.