New Bridge Marks Reconstruction after 2016 Kumamoto Quakes

Minamiaso, Kumamoto Pref., March 7 (Jiji Press)--A new bridge opened on a highway in Minamiaso, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Sunday, marking the end of reconstruction of key roads damaged by massive earthquakes in southwestern Japan in April 2016.

The 525-meter-long Shin Aso Ohashi bridge was built as a replacement for the Aso Ohashi bridge, which collapsed due to a landslide that followed one of the quakes.

The new bridge, located 600 meters south of the place where the collapsed one was located, opened up a new route on the national highway, which connects the Aso area with Kumamoto’s namesake capital.

This put the end to the reconstruction of all quake-damaged national and prefectural roads linking the two areas.

A ceremony to mark the opening was attended by around 50 people including transport minister Kazuyoshi Akaba and Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]