Japan marks 30 years since the Great Hanshin earthquake that killed more than 6,400 people

KOBE (Kyodo) — The western Japanese city of Kobe and its surrounding areas on Friday marked the 30th anniversary of a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that killed more than 6,400 people, and many hope to keep the memories alive as the devastating event continues to teach the importance of the quake. To enhance preparedness in the disaster-prone country.

Residents and families of the victims observed a moment of silence at 5:46 a.m., the same time that the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck Kobe and surrounding areas in Hyogo Prefecture on January 17, 1995, killing 6,434 people and leveling many homes.

Thousands of paper and bamboo lanterns were placed in Kobe East Park to form the date “1.17,” along with the Japanese word “yorisou,” which means to be together, in memory of others affected by the disaster such as those affected by the earthquake that struck the country. The typhoon hit central Japan's Ishikawa Prefecture on New Year's Day last year.

“Transmitting memories and lessons learned from the earthquake is important for preparing for future disasters,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference in Tokyo, noting that the population and economy in affected areas have recovered to pre-earthquake levels.

“We will continue on our way to the new era, keeping in mind the memory and remembering the grief,” Kobe Mayor Keizo Hisamoto said at a ceremony organized by the city.

Genki Hasegawa, a 38-year-old teacher who lost his mother and brother, spoke as a representative of the victims, saying, “We will pass on the lessons learned from the earthquake to get more people on the starting line of disaster prevention.” and mitigation.”

Among those who visited Kobe to mourn the deceased was Koichi Sakurai, a victim of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan in March 2011.

“The Great Hanshin Earthquake is the starting point of earthquake disasters in Japan, and the knowledge accumulated from the disaster helped us,” he said, expressing his gratitude to city officials and volunteer groups in Kobe for helping in the reconstruction of the Tohoku region. .

At a separate ceremony in Kobe attended by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, the emperor said: “I expect that the knowledge obtained (from the earthquake) will be shared inside and outside the country and passed on to the next generation.”

Before Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in 2019, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended the ceremony, which is mainly hosted by Hyogo Prefecture, every 10 years since the earthquake.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba performed his official duties in Tokyo, without joining the ceremony.

At an earthquake memorial park in Nishinomiya Prefecture, victims' families and citizens offered white carnations on a memorial stone inscribed with more than a thousand names of those who died in the disaster.

“Although I don't want to remember the earthquake, I want young people to be aware of preparing (for the disaster),” said Yasuko Adachi, 63, who lost her father.

The Kobe earthquake injured about 43,800 people and damaged or destroyed nearly 640,000 homes. Up to 310,000 people sought emergency shelters after the quake, and criticism of the government's initially slow response has spurred efforts to strengthen crisis management over the years.

People were shocked by television images of the devastation that occurred in 1995, including the collapse of a highway. Post-earthquake fires also destroyed 7,574 buildings.

Drawing on lessons learned from the earthquake, the government implemented measures to improve disaster response, including establishing a crisis management center in the Prime Minister's Office.

The earthquake led to the enactment of a law to provide post-disaster assistance to affected populations and stimulated the widespread adoption of earthquake insurance.

In recent years, Japan has experienced a series of devastating earthquakes, including the January 2024 earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula. It is feared that a strong earthquake could occur within the next 30 years along the Nankai Trough, a trench in the ocean floor along the Pacific coast where the Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates meet.

Ishiba pledged to create a new disaster management agency to strengthen and accelerate responses to earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters. The agency is expected to launch by fiscal year 2026.

Conveying the lessons learned from the Great Hanshin Earthquake to younger generations has become an increasing challenge over the years.

A Kyodo News survey of 52 organizations in Hyogo hosting earthquake commemorative events highlighted this challenge. About 80 percent said it would be difficult to continue holding such events, mainly because the number of people who experienced the disaster firsthand was low.

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