Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Kumamoto prefecture on Monday, nearly a week after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the region. The disaster resulted in 38 deaths and caused widespread damage across the southwestern prefecture.
Recovery efforts are currently being hampered by sweltering heat and a critical lack of water supplies. More than 46,000 households remain without water, and many residents are also facing fuel shortages. Thousands of people continue to stay in crowded emergency shelters.
The intense heat has stoked fears of heat-related illness as residents work to clear their homes. Officials reported that one of the 38 deaths was caused by apparent heatstroke while a person was taking shelter in a car during the hot weather.