Japan’s Aeon Mall Kumamoto was rebuilt to withstand earthquakes after it was damaged in strong quakes in April 2016. Its June reopening was meant to be a fresh start, the gleaming building a symbol of rebirth for the mall and residents of Kashima town.
Then Tuesday’s magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook this new-found confidence.
“When this quake hit, I immediately knew the epicentre was close,” 30-year-old Nishiyama told Agence France-Presse. “I didn’t think this was going to happen here again.”
Two…

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