Aeon Eyeing Compensation over Fatal Blast after Kumamoto Quake

Tokyo, Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)–Aeon Co. on Wednesday showed a plan to provide compensation early to relatives of tenant shop workers who died in an explosion that occurred at its shopping facility in Kumamoto Prefecture shortly after the July 28 major earthquake in the southwestern prefecture. “We will respond as soon as possible regarding compensation without waiting for legal responsibility to be clarified,” the major Japanese retailer said in a statement. It has not disclosed details of the compensation. Aeon said Tuesday that its employees allowed some evacuated workers of shops at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in the Kumamoto town of Kashima to briefly re-enter the building as they sought to collect personal items such as car keys and mobile phones. Keiji Ono, president of Aeon Mall Co., the operator of the facility, has met with bereaved relatives to explain the circumstances and apologize. The earthquake occurred around 4:27 p.m. on July 28, measuring up to 7, the highest level on Japan’s seismic intensity scale. By around 5 p.m., Aeon confirmed the evacuation of customers, group employees and tenant shop workers from Aeon Mall Kumamoto. Later, Aeon employees allowed some tenant workers to enter the facility again. The explosion occurred around 5:50 p.m., killing seven tenant employees. The industry ministry said Aug. 5 that liquefied petroleum gas is highly likely to have caused the explosion. Aeon plans to establish a committee consisting of outside experts to investigate the cause and come up with measures to prevent a recurrence. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]