TOKYO, July 29 — A major earthquake measuring 7.1 in magnitude struck Japan's Kyushu region, among the strongest to hit the country in recent years, triggering fires and structural damage across the affected area.
Dozens of fires were reported in the hours after the quake, and parts of the centuries-old Kumamoto Castle, a landmark associated with the samurai era, suffered damage to its stone walls. Japanese authorities issued tsunami advisories for coastal areas as a precaution, while rescue teams fanned out to check on buildings and infrastructure in the hardest-hit prefectures.
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has some of the world's most advanced earthquake-resistant building codes and early-warning systems, both of which are credited with limiting casualties in large quakes. Even so, older heritage structures such as Kumamoto Castle remain vulnerable to strong shaking.
For general awareness preparation, Japan's seismic vulnerability and its position on the Ring of Fire is a frequently asked geography topic, alongside questions on early-warning systems and disaster-resilient construction.