Japan's Quake-Resistant Standards Held — But Five Died, Nine Missing

A 6.8-magnitude quake hit Kumamoto on July 28, 2026, registering a 7 on Japan's shindo intensity scale — its maximum level. Five died; nine workers remain missing after a paper mill chimney collapsed. Some 50,000 households lost power, 140,000 lost water. Few buildings collapsed overall, which the Guardian credited to Japan's strict earthquake-resistant building codes.