Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary: Special Video "No One Was Left Unharmed" Released

Kumamoto Kenmin Television Co., Ltd. will produce and release a video for the residents of Kumamoto Prefecture, marking 10 years since the Kumamoto Earthquake occurred in April 2016.

About the Campaign

10 years since the Kumamoto Earthquake. KKT has walked alongside Kumamoto and continuously observed its journey. Since that night, each person has continued their daily life – this campaign is meant to accompany and cheer on the 10 years of every single Kumamoto resident. To capture scenes of everyday life, filming was conducted in Mashiki Town, which experienced two seismic intensity 7 earthquakes, as well as various other locations throughout the prefecture. The video was produced with Kumamoto-born creators, gathering voices from the residents.

Kumamoto Kenmin Television Programming Department, Mami Urano & Kaori Hatanaka

"This campaign, which begins with '10 years have passed,' is an encouragement from KKT, living together in Kumamoto. What kind of message would be appropriate for us to convey at the 10-year milestone of the earthquake? We discussed it many times, and in the process, we strongly felt that we wanted it to 'end with a sense of hope.' Some people might not talk much about the earthquake, saying, 'There were people who had a much harder time.' However, everyone must have had a period of time spent with anxiety, sadness, and fear. Nevertheless, we hope that you can be proud of having accumulated day by day for 10 years. Let's continue to live together in the land of Kumamoto."

Comment from Copywriter Hirokazu Ueda

No one living in Kumamoto was left unharmed by that earthquake – not the people working at the department store in Tooricho, nor those waiting for the train at Shinmachi station, nor those waiting for a red light in Uto, nor those walking along the rice fields in Mashiki. Everyone stood up from that, and while pausing, moved forward. These 10 years must have been such a time. We wanted to pay tribute to the 10 years of all people living in Kumamoto. We want them to realize anew how amazing it was and to be proud of it. With that in mind, we are starting this campaign.

Comment from Singer-Songwriter Masaki Shigaki

10 years since the Kumamoto Earthquake. My second son, who was in my wife's womb at the time, is also 10 years old now. I remember as if it were yesterday seeing vehicles and people with out-of-prefecture license plates during the journey to evacuate my pregnant wife and eldest daughter to Nagasaki, and the joy when water came out of the tap. I shed tears over the preciousness of everyday life that had been taken for granted. This time, I remade a song from 18 years ago based on the CM concept. I hope to celebrate with this song the resilient days of those who looked up at the same sky in despair on that day, and who have walked forward to live despite their individual pains. Like the moonlight gently and kindly shining a spotlight on everyone... I put such feelings into the song.