As the effects of the new coronavirus continued, Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress visited Kumamoto Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the heavy rain last July, online on the 27th.
It is the first time that Their Majesties have visited the disaster area online.
The heavy rain disaster in July last year killed 65 people and left two missing in Kumamoto Prefecture, and many people are still forced to evacuate.
Their Majesties visited Kumamoto Prefecture online from their Akasaka Imperial Residence on the afternoon of the 27th, and Governor Kabashima first explained the disaster situation.
Next, we checked the local conditions on the four municipalities of Hitoyoshi City, Yatsushiro City, Kuma Village, and Ashikita Town, which were heavily damaged, and spoke to the people who were affected by the disaster.
Of these, when a man whose home was completely destroyed in Hitoyoshi City, where 20 people were killed, was told by His Majesty the Emperor, "You're in trouble. How about now?", The man said, "Somehow the body is normal. However, it was completely destroyed by the disaster and is still in a state where it cannot be touched. "
Then, after being cared for by their Majesties the wife of a man who was hospitalized due to illness, the Empress said, "Please take good care of yourself."
In addition, when His Majesty the Emperor asked a man who mainly supported volunteer activities in Yatsushiro City, "I think there were many difficulties," he said, "Because of the spread of corona infection, volunteers are limited to the prefecture. It was also necessary to take measures against heat stroke in midsummer, "said the Empress, saying," I think that various things are difficult in Corona, but please be careful of your body. "
Their Majesties continued to pay attention to the disaster area immediately after the disaster and wanted to visit the disaster area directly, but it was not possible due to the spread of the infection, and they visited the disaster area online for the first time.