Goji Yuse apologizes for instructing workers to re-enter collapsed mall during Japanese earthquake
Goji Yuse, the sales director of Habita, issued a formal apology after two employees were killed during a secondary explosion at the Aeon Mall following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture. The fatalities occurred because the company instructed the workers to return to the building to secure cash from the registers into a safe, even as most shoppers had already evacuated. One of the victims, 22-year-old Kurumi Otake, was confirmed to have died while following these instructions. While the earthquake caused significant damage across the region, the explosion was believed to be caused by a gas leak. The administration of the mall operator noted that the instructions given at the time were inappropriate, with Goji Yuse stating that the move was not worth a life. The disaster has left the region struggling with extreme heat and water shortages, complicating the recovery efforts for the thousands of residents currently seeking shelter in emergency centers or cars.