Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is urging gas stations in earthquake-stricken Kumamoto to resume operations to reduce fueling queues [1].
This push follows reports of long lines at remaining pumps in affected regions, including Yatsushiro City. While fuel is available, the government believes the distribution network must expand to ensure the resource reaches those who need it most [1, 2].
As of 12:30 p.m. on Friday, 41 out of 76 targeted gas stations were open for business [1]. The ministry is now focusing on increasing the number of active stations to eliminate bottlenecks in the local supply chain [1, 2].
Fuel shipments have resumed from storage facilities located in Yatsushiro City [2]. By increasing the number of tank trucks on the road, the ministry said it can secure a delivery capacity up to four times [2] the normal volume [1].
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akazawa said the overall supply of gasoline is not insufficient, and the government will maintain constant vigilance to ensure the fuel reaches the people who truly need it [2].
Official statements from the ministry said that the capacity to deliver fuel is now ready. The primary challenge moving forward is how to increase the number of operating gas stations to meet the demand [2].
“The overall supply of gasoline is not insufficient”
The situation in Kumamoto highlights a common disaster-recovery gap where the availability of a resource does not equate to its accessibility. While the Japanese government has successfully restored the 'macro' supply chain by leveraging Yatsushiro's storage and increasing truck fleets, the 'micro' distribution—the actual retail points of sale—remains a bottleneck. The effort to reopen 35 additional stations is critical to preventing panic buying and ensuring emergency vehicles and residents can move freely.
