KB News Desk
Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox expressed concern after a powerful earthquake struck his hometown of Kumamoto, Japan.
Kumamoto prefecture was hit by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday afternoon, causing significant damage across the region.
Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kumamoto City, the prefecture’s largest city, suffered a partial collapse following an explosion believed to have been triggered by the quake. A smokestack at Japan Paper also collapsed, leaving employees trapped, while sections of elevated roads were reported to have collapsed or been damaged by the tremors.
Murakami addressed the disaster on social media Wednesday, writing, “I saw painful news from this morning. I was shocked. Please put your own safety first and act accordingly.”
Murakami, 26, was born in Kumamoto City and attended Kyushu Gakuin High School before being selected by the Yakult Swallows with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.
He experienced the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes when he was a second-year high school student. The region was struck by a series of major earthquakes that year, including tremors reaching the highest level on Japan’s seismic intensity scale.
Sports Hochi reported that Murakami has maintained a strong connection to his hometown, including making continued donations toward the restoration of Kumamoto Castle, which was damaged in the disaster.
Fans in Japan responded with messages of support following Murakami’s post. Comments on Yahoo! Japan Sports included praise that “without genuine love for Kumamoto, beyond simply making donations, he could not have expressed those words.” Others said his success in MLB has encouraged residents of the prefecture.
Some fans also expressed concern for Murakami’s parents, who recently traveled to the United States to watch him play, asking whether they were still there and if they were safe.
Murakami is signed to the White Sox on a two-year, $34 million contract. After a slow start to his first season, he has turned things around and is batting .241 (60-for-249) with 22 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .923 OPS.
(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)
