Message from IFSW Asia-Pacific Regional President Following the Earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan

Dear colleagues and friends,

Following the earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on 28 July 2026, I have received many messages of concern, support, and solidarity from social workers and colleagues around the world.

On behalf of the Asia-Pacific Region of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW-AP), I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your kindness and your thoughts for the people affected by this disaster.

The earthquake occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. on 28 July 2026, with a magnitude of 7.1 and a maximum seismic intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale.

I would like to share an update regarding the response of social work organisations in Japan.

The Japanese Federation of Social Workers (JFSW) has been sharing information and facilitating communication among its member organisations. At this stage, the following JFSW member organisations have established their respective disaster response headquarters and are working according to their professional areas of expertise:

● Japanese Association of Certified Social Workers
JACSW

● Japanese Association of Mental Health Social Workers
JAMHSW

● Japanese Association of Social Workers in Health Services
JASWHS

Although the situation continues to develop, social workers in Japan are committed to supporting affected communities and responding to emerging needs through their professional knowledge and experience.

I would like to thank social workers and colleagues across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond for your concern and encouragement. Your solidarity reminds us of the strong connections and mutual support within our global social work community.

The Asia-Pacific Region of IFSW will continue to share relevant updates as they become available.

Sincerely,

Dr. Machiko Ohara
President
Asia-Pacific Region
International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW)

* Please note that the information above is currently available only in Japanese. We kindly recommend using your browser’s translation function if you would like to read the original updates from each organisation.