On April 14 and 16, 2016, two massive earthquakes shook the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. The first registered magnitude 6.5, and the second, 7.3. Hundreds of aftershocks have since followed. Over 70 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are located in the affected area, but no Witnesses died or were severely injured in the disaster. However, over 70 of their homes sustained severe damage and 17 were destroyed. Because of the continuing aftershocks, over 400 Witnesses were evacuated from their homes to Kingdom Halls, or places of worship, where shelter and meals were provided. The branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Japan has organized a disaster relief committee of volunteers with construction experience to care for the needs of those affected.

Media Contacts:

International: David A. Semonian, Office of Public Information, tel. +1 718 560 5000

Japan: Ichiki Matsunaga, tel. +81 46 233 0005

https://www.jw.org/en/news/releases/by-region/japan/earthquake-disaster-20160428/