As many of you may have seen, a recent earthquake struck Kumamoto in southern Japan. Our WMS 2026 Local Organising Committee Co-Chairs, Ichizo Nishino and Takashi Kurashige have the following message:

We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and wish to express our sincere sympathy to everyone affected.

Since this news has been widely reported internationally, some participants may understandably be wondering whether Hiroshima has been affected and whether the WMS 2026 Congress will proceed as planned.

I would therefore like to reassure you that the effects of the earthquake have been largely confined to the Kumamoto area. Hiroshima has not been affected. Daily life and transportation are operating normally throughout the rest of Japan, and all airports, including HND, NRT, KIX, and FUK, remain fully operational. There is currently no impact on travel to Hiroshima or on the Congress, and WMS 2026 will proceed as planned.

The main transportation disruptions are limited to parts of Kumamoto Prefecture and southern Kyushu. Although train services between Hakata (Fukuoka) and Kumamoto have already resumed, one section of the Kyushu Shinkansen further south remains suspended, and some expressways in the area are also partially closed. These disruptions affect travel within southern Kyushu rather than access to Hiroshima.

Anyone planning to travel within Kyushu before or after the Congress is encouraged to check the latest transportation information:

Kyushu Shinkansen:
https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/trains/info/shin.html

Expressway information:
https://ihighway.jp/pcsite/mapen/?area=area09