Radio Station Keeps Residents Informed after Kumamoto Quake

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 26 (Jiji Press)–A community radio station in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, which was struck by a powerful earthquake last month, continues to deliver vital information to local residents. Staff members at the radio station in the city of Yatsushiro were forced to evacuate during a live broadcast because of the July 28 earthquake, but resumed operations the following day. Yukiko Yamada, 46, a radio personality at FM Yatsushiro, urged listeners to ensure their safety while broadcasting live from the station inside the city office. “I thought I was desperately calling for safety, but I realized later that my voice was shaking,” Yamada said, recalling the moment of the quake. The powerful tremor knocked down shelves and scattered broken glass. The seismic isolation device at the city office was also damaged, forcing the station to close on a temporary basis. Yamada was also among staff members who had to evacuate outside. She said she felt frustrated at not being able to broadcast, as she believes that “the mission of radio is to provide disaster information.” She continued the live broadcast until just before evacuating, even while worrying about her parents, who live in Hikawa, a neighboring town hit hard by the earthquake. Afterward, she was able to contact her parents by phone and confirmed their safety. She returned to the microphone the day after the earthquake and has been striving to create programs that “stay close to the hearts of affected people.” The station suspended its regular programming immediately after the earthquake and instead focused on broadcasting disaster-related information. “We only broadcast official information that we have confirmed directly with the municipal government,” said Akemi Miyata, 60, who works in the station’s general affairs department. The station continues to provide useful information to affected people, including warnings about economy class syndrome and heatstroke prevention measures. It also features classical music and songs by the late Yatsushiro native singer Aki Yashiro. “We hope this will refresh listeners even a little,” Miyata said. The station currently broadcasts live daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with about five staff members. “It’s scary to think that an earthquake might come again,” Miyata said. Nonetheless, she expressed her commitment to continuing her work, saying, “We want to continue providing information for the people of Yatsushiro.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]