A regional broadcaster apologized Monday after one of its news vans cut into a long line of cars in Kumamoto at a gas station in the quake-hit prefecture.
The apology was prompted by a protest message that went viral Sunday on Twitter. The message, posted with a photo of a Kansai Telecasting Corp. van at a gas station, accused the driver of cutting in line and ignoring a woman who asked it to back off.
The Osaka-based broadcaster issued a statement admitting that the van, carrying five journalists covering the quakes, drove to the head of the long line of cars and refueled at around 7:45 a.m. Sunday in an "impermissible" act amid the widespread suffering in the disaster area.
It also promised to enhance training for news staff in charge of the coverage.
Two large earthquakes and hundreds of aftershocks since Thursday have caused serious shortages of necessities, forcing residents to line up for hours to get water, food, gasoline and other daily necessities.
Kansai Telecasting serves Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, Shiga and Wakayama prefectures.