Kumamoto Castle Damaged Again in 7.1 Magnitude Quake

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan's Kumamoto region on July 28, 2026, injuring at least 50 people and damaging thousands of buildings. Kumamoto Castle, a landmark still being restored from a deadly 2016 quake, sustained fresh damage — images showed it enveloped in dust. The recurrence in the same tectonic corridor ten years on raises questions about Kyushu's seismic cycle and aftershock risk.