(Provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only)
Today, a meeting of the Emergency Headquarters for the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake was held at the Prime Minister’s Office. Prime Minister Takaichi instructed the enhancement of water supply support and the provision of bathing support by the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) for those evacuating in the heat. With regard to water supply support, the SDF has reinforced the posture compared with yesterday. An update since this morning is that water supply units mainly from the Western Army Artillery Regiment and the 42nd Rapid Deployment Regiment began providing water in four additional locations—one location in Mashiki Town and three locations in Ozu Town—bringing the total to 24 locations. Approximately 120 personnel and a total of 32 water tankers and water trailers are engaged in these operations. Compared with yesterday, this is 12 more locations, approximately 50 more personnel, and 11 more vehicles. Today, we also completed the provision of approximately 90 tons of water in total to four medical facilities that had requested assistance due to shortages of water required for dialysis: Uki Clinic, Matsuda Hospital, Kumamoto Urological Hospital, and Yatsushiro North Community Medical Center. Water provision to two facilities, Kikuchi Medical Association Hospital and Matsuoka Internal Medicine Clinic, will also be completed today. Moving on to bathing support, this afternoon, approximately 40 personnel from the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (MSDF) Kure bathing support unit departed Kure Naval Base with a bathing support set. They are scheduled to arrive at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto at around 8:00 p.m. The MSDF Sasebo bathing support unit also departed Sasebo Naval Base and arrived at the quay in Yatsushiro Port to provide bathing support and related support using water from vessels berthed at the port. Preparations are underway to swiftly provide bathing support. That concludes my update at this stage.