People pause to look at a collapsed house following an earthquake in Ibaraki City, north of Osaka prefecture on June 18, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / JIJI PRESS / STR / Japan OUT
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it has not received reports of Filipino casualties after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Japan on Monday.
At the same time, the Philippines expressed its condolences to Japan after three people were killed and dozens were injured during the tremor.
READ: Strong quake near Osaka, Japan, kills 3, knocks over walls
“We express our condolences to the Government of Japan over the loss of lives in this morning’s earthquake in the Kansai Region,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said.
“We hope and pray that loss of lives and damage to property would be minimal,” he added.
The DFA estimates there are 16,295 members of the Filipino community in the Kansai region, which it said was in the immediate epicenter of the earthquake.
The Philippine Consulate General in Osaka has advised Filipinos in the prefectures of Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, and Shiga to avoid unnecessary travels and remain on alert for possible aftershocks.
They were also advised to continue monitoring disaster-related information from their respective authorities.
The DFA said Consul General Maria Aileen Bugarin reported that all consulate personnel were safe and accounted for.
She added that the Japanese authorities were conducting safety checks in the building where the consulate is located. /je