KUMAMOTO (TR) – Following the massive earthquake that devastated the prefecture last month, opportunistic thieves and shady contractors are now preying on vulnerable victims, prompting widespread police mobilization, reports NHK (Aug. 20).
A “Special Security Force” comprising roughly 100 police officers dispatched from across the Kyushu region is currently conducting 24-hour patrols in the hardest-hit areas, including Yatsushiro, Uki and Hikawa.
Police have confirmed at least eight burglaries targeting evacuated and damaged homes since the disaster struck. Officers are now going door-to-door, inspecting abandoned properties for signs of forced entry and distributing flyers to warn remaining residents about a surge in disaster-related fraud.
“We ask victims to ensure their homes are locked when going out, and to consult with the police or consumer centers if they suspect malicious business practices,” said Shinji Oka, an inspector with the Miyazaki Prefectural Police.
Exploiting the chaos
Predatory contractors from outside the prefecture are already exploiting the chaos. The Kumamoto Prefectural Consumer Affairs Center has received 58 earthquake-related consultations, with a significant spike in housing repair disputes.
In one egregious case, an out-of-town contractor charged a resident a staggering 1.7 million yen simply to place a blue plastic tarp over a damaged roof. In another incident, a victim was pressured into signing a rushed 1.2 million yen contract for emergency roof repairs under the threat of an approaching typhoon. Officials are urging residents to utilize the cooling-off system to cancel extortionate contracts and to secure multiple quotes before handing over cash.
Amid the crime wave, local communities are struggling to pick up the pieces. In Hikawa, a 388-year-old traditional sweets maker has managed to resume production of its famous manju (bun filled with bean paste), despite suffering severe structural damage to its store and factory machinery.
Hygiene crisis
In Yatsushiro, authorities are assessing the devastation to local heritage, confirming damage to at least 53 designated cultural properties, including the collapsed main hall of the historic Jozakuji temple.
Evacuees are also battling a severe hygiene crisis. With running water still cut off in parts of Yatsushiro, over 1,600 residents remain crammed into 38 shelters. Fearing that filthy temporary toilets are causing evacuees to hold it in and risk severe dehydration, the city has deployed professional cleaning crews to power-wash and sanitize the facilities.
Meanwhile, ahead of the new school term, teachers in Kashima are undergoing psychological training led by Kumamoto University experts. Educators are being instructed not to rush lessons, but to focus on the mental trauma and health conditions of students returning to classrooms with heavily damaged walls.
