Two Workers Killed in Blast After Re-entering Quake-Hit Japan Mall on Boss’ Order

Two workers were killed in a blast that followed a powerful earthquake in Japan last week, after their boss asked them to re-enter an earthquake-hit mall to secure cash. The employees were working at Habita, a general goods store inside Aeon Mall in Kumamoto. Their employer later apologized for the “loss of two precious lives” and said the instructions given at the time were inappropriate. One of the workers was identified as 22-year-old Kurumi Otake; the second has not been named.