On May 23, the Japanese government announced that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had sent messages of condolence and sympathy to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang over the coal mine gas explosion that occurred in Shanxi Province. The messages were dispatched on the evening of May 22.
The accident occurred on May 22. Chinese authorities have announced that the company responsible for the accident committed serious violations of the law.
A total of 247 workers were inside the mine when methane gas exploded. Initial reports put the death toll at 90, but authorities subsequently revised the figure down to 82, citing confusion at the scene that had caused information to be unclear in the immediate aftermath.
