On the afternoon of July 28th, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post report dated August 18th, during this period after the earthquake, local government and police officials received reports of individuals wearing military uniforms similar to those of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) being active in evacuated communities. These individuals attempted to enter uninhabited houses and shops in the affected areas in order to commit theft.
A official from the Kumamoto Prefectural Government confirmed reports of 'fake Self-Defense Forces members' attempting to enter houses in the disaster area. However, the official stated that the primary task of the local government remains to find shelter for displaced disaster victims and to provide them with food and medical assistance.
"We have indeed received the relevant reports, but at present, I am unable to provide you with more details," said the Kumamoto County Government spokesperson. "We are currently unclear about how many reports we have received and which towns they involve, but what can be confirmed is that the county government and police have grasped these circumstances."
Local residents have also started spreading warnings, urging them to be cautious of strangers, even if these individuals appear to be soldiers who are there to assist in search and rescue efforts.
"I have heard these reports, some people are actually doing such things, it is truly terrifying and disheartening." A woman who went to the disaster zone after an earthquake to help her family and friends said.
August 4, 2026, Kumamoto Prefecture in Yaade City, Japan, a building collapsed during an earthquake. IC Photo
According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, since the earthquake disaster occurred, approximately 5,100 Self-Defense Forces personnel have been deployed to the area.
After the earthquake, the initial task of the Self-Defense Forces was to rescue people trapped in collapsed buildings. Subsequently, their tasks shifted to delivering critical relief supplies, providing medical support, and establishing and operating care and treatment facilities.
In addition, the Self-Defense Forces have been searching door by door for residents who are still listed as missing.
The earthquake caused at least 350 people to be injured, and 39 people have been confirmed dead. More than 390 aftershocks have been recorded in the area, many of which are of high magnitude. The Japan Meteorological Agency warns the public that they will need to prepare for more earthquakes in the coming weeks.
In the entire region of Kyushu, a total of 1,287 residential buildings have collapsed, and another 30,894 residential buildings have been damaged to varying degrees. In addition, 4,600 shops, industrial facilities, and other buildings have been destroyed. The loss to commerce and industry is estimated at 117.6 billion yen.
Reports of people in military uniforms carrying out thefts during the chaos caused by disasters also remind people of similar allegations that occurred after the 7.6 magnitude Nenji earthquake on January 1, 2024. That earthquake resulted in the death of 732 people.
The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported at the time that "plunderers, fraudsters, and thieves" flooded the disaster area after the disaster occurred, "taking advantage of the desperate efforts of those affected by the New Year's Day earthquake to attack them."
To deal with this situation, local residents organized neighborhood patrols, and the police also deployed 40 additional officers to the area. In the first 10 days after the earthquake in 2024, there were 17 cases of theft or burglary reported, and criminals took advantage of the situation to loot the damaged buildings.
Regarding the claim that "men disguised as members of the Self-Defense Forces have joined the robbers," Yoshida Kikuo, then head of the Integrated Staff of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, warned the residents of the Ken'den Peninsula to be vigilant against imposters.
Yoshida stated that the Self-Defense Forces operate as an organization, and therefore they do not visit private homes in remote areas individually.
A article published by the Japanese legal information website Bengoshi JP on August 18th suggested that local residents in the disaster area should question people wearing military uniforms and behaving suspiciously.
The article's author and lawyer, Tomoki Amemiya, advises residents that if someone claims to be a member of the Self-Defense Forces and behaves suspiciously, one should ask for their name, rank, and unit. It is important to avoid revealing any personal information.
He also warned residents not to disclose details about damaged houses, the routes to residential areas, or whether the homeowners have moved to other places, to suspicious individuals. He added, “If you see suspicious people, or feel a sense of insecurity, do not hesitate and call the police immediately.”
