Society · July 2026

A powerful earthquake struck Japan on July 28, causing a shopping center to collapse in Kumamoto Prefecture and triggering a tsunami alert for Kyushu. The 7.1-magnitude quake left at least 13 people dead, with rescuers pulling survivors from the rubble. The full extent of casualties is still unclear, as officials continue to assess damage across the affected region. Residents in a quiet Japanese seaside town expressed anger over plans to build a mosque, with protests erupting amid concerns about community identity. Tokyo's government-run dating app, designed to boost marriage rates, has reportedly led to 265 marriages, with the city using AI to match hundreds of couples. The volume of Pacific saury reaching Japan's Pacific coasts is likely to drop sharply, according to projections, raising concerns for the fishing industry.