Kurumi Otake

Kurumi Otake, a 22-year-old worker at the variety store Habita, is among the recent victims of a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck Kumamoto prefecture, Japan on July 28th. Tragically, Otake and another colleague died in an explosion that occurred after they were instructed by their employer to re-enter the Aeon shopping center. The purpose of their re-entry was to secure cash and sales proceeds from the store. Habita has since issued an apology for the "loss of two precious lives" and expressed remorse to the families of the victims. This incident highlights the devastating consequences of the earthquake, not only from the seismic event itself but also from subsequent dangers faced by individuals in its aftermath. Otake's death, under these circumstances, has brought attention to workplace safety and employer accountability in disaster situations.