Vietnam sympathizes and shares with the Japanese people over losses caused by the recent earthquakes, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh.

“We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and strongly believe that with their efforts and willpower, the Japanese Government and people will shortly overcome this difficult moment and stabilise the situation,” the diplomat said on April 16.

Two powerful earthquakes a day apart jolted southwestern Japan, killing at least 29 people and injuring 1,500.

Concerning Vietnamese citizens living in Japan, Binh quoted the Vietnam Embassy in Japan and the Consul General in Fukuoka as saying that they have yet to receive any information about Vietnamese casualties in these quakes.

The Vietnamese mission in Japan has opened 3 telephone hotlines to receive relevant information to provide timely support.

The Vietnam Embassy in Japan and the Consulate General are keeping contact with Japan’s authorised agencies to update information.

Vietnamese nationals in Kumamoto prefecture, located in Kyushu Island, can ask for help by calling the embassy via the phone number 080-3590-9136, or the consulate via the numbers 080-3984-6668 and 080-3904-0198.

About 1,600 Vietnamese people are living in Kumamoto as of June 2015, according to Japan’s data.