The two earthquakes claimed the lives of over 270 people, while more than 3,000 are still living in temporary housing. The 4th anniversary memorial ceremony of the natural disaster was downsized due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

Restoration is still underway at the iconic Kumamoto Castle. A portion of the landmark was finally opened to the public in October last year, but the grand unveiling scheduled for this month was postponed to prevent the spread of the virus.