Japan marks 30 years since Kobe quake that killed over 6,400

The western Japan city of Kobe and nearby areas on Friday marked the 30th anniversary of the magnitude-7.3 earthquake that killed over 6,400 people, with many hoping to keep alive the memories as the devastating event continues to teach the importance of enhancing preparedness in the disaster-prone nation.

Residents and victims' families observed a moment of silence at 5:46 a.m., the exact time the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck Kobe and its vicinity in Hyogo Prefecture on Jan. 17, 1995, leaving 6,434 people dead as many homes were flattened.

People pray as they observe a moment of silence in Kobe in the early morning of Jan. 17, 2025, the 30th anniversary of the magnitude 7.3 earthquake that killed 6,434 people. (Kyodo)

Thousands of paper and bamboo lanterns were placed at Kobe East Park to form the date "1.17," along with the Japanese word "yorisou," which means being together, in memory of other disaster-affected people such as those affected by the quake that hit Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan on New Year's Day last year.

"Passing down the memories and lessons from the quake is important to prepare for future disasters," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference in Tokyo while noting that the population and economy of the affected areas have recovered to pre-quake levels.

"We will continue on our way to the new era, keeping in mind the memory and remembering grief," Kobe Mayor Kizo 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 quake to make more people stand at the starting line for disaster prevention and mitigation."

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

"The Great Hanshin Earthquake is the starting point of Japan's earthquake disasters, as the know-how built up from the disaster helped us," he said, expressing gratitude to city officials and volunteer groups in Kobe for assisting in the reconstruction of the Tohoku region.

In a separate ceremony in Kobe attended by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, the emperor said, "I expect knowledge obtained (from the quake) will be shared in and outside the country and passed on to the next generation."

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

Lanterns are placed to form the Japanese word "yorisou," which means being together, and the date "1.17" at a park in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, on Jan. 17, 2025, the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that struck the western Japan city and its vicinity. The disaster killed more than 6,400 people. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Bamboo lanterns are lit at a park in Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture on the early morning of Jan. 17, 2025, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that struck the western Japan city and its vicinity, killing more than 6,400 people. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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

At an earthquake memorial park in Nishinomiya in the prefecture, victims' families and citizens offered white carnations on a memorial stone inscribed with over 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 being prepared (for the disaster)," said Yasuko Adachi, a 63-year-old who lost her father.

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

People were shocked by TV images of the 1995 devastation, including a collapsed highway. Post-quake fires also destroyed 7,574 buildings.

Drawing on lessons from the quake, the government has implemented measures to improve disaster response, including establishing a crisis management center at the prime minister's office.

The quake prompted the enactment of a law to provide post-disaster assistance to affected residents and spurred the widespread adoption of earthquake insurance.

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

Ishiba has pledged to establish a new disaster management agency to enhance and expedite responses to earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters. The agency is expected to be launched by fiscal 2026.

Passing on the lessons learned from the Great Hanshin Earthquake to younger generations has become increasingly challenging over the years.

A Kyodo News survey of 52 organizations in Hyogo that host memorial events for the quake highlighted the challenge. About 80 percent said it would be difficult to continue holding such events, primarily due to the decline in the number of those who experienced the disaster firsthand.