Kumamoto Prefecture's mascot Kumamon and Japan national soccer coach Hajime Moriyasu visited an evacuation center in Hikawa Town to encourage earthquake survivors.
These visits aim to provide psychological care and support for children and residents struggling with the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster.
The region is still recovering from a major earthquake that struck on July 28 [1]. The quake reached a maximum seismic intensity of seven [2], the highest level on the Japanese scale.
During the visit, Kumamon distributed sweets and gave high-fives to children at the Hikawa Town shelter [3]. One child described the experience as "fluffy" and said they felt they could keep doing their best after receiving energy from the mascot [4].
Coach Hajime Moriyasu joined the effort by handing out official national team merchandise to the residents [3]. He said he wanted to provide immediate emotional support to those affected by the disaster.
"The only thing I can do right now is come here and send a message of encouragement to everyone," Moriyasu said [4].
Despite the efforts to provide relief, the scale of displacement remains significant. Currently, 3,121 people in Kumamoto Prefecture are still forced to live in evacuation centers [2].
For some children, the visit offered a moment of normalcy. One child noted that while the earthquake had occurred, they still wanted to work hard at soccer [4].
“"The only thing I can do right now is come here and send a message of encouragement to everyone,"”
The deployment of high-profile cultural figures like Kumamon and Hajime Moriyasu highlights Japan's strategy of using 'soft power' and national symbols to mitigate the psychological trauma of disaster survivors. By focusing on children through sports and mascots, the initiative seeks to maintain community morale while thousands remain in temporary housing months after the initial shock.
