31 Years After the Great Kobe Earthquake, a Call to Remember and Prepare

It has been 31 years since the magnitude 7.3 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake struck on January 17, 1995.

Sometimes, after 30 years and a generational change, it becomes more difficult to pass on memories of that terrible disaster. At least, that is what the "30-year limit theory" says. However, January 17 is a day that we must never forget. Rather, we should take the occasion once again to honor the memories of the 6,434 victims.

It was the largest urban earthquake to occur in postwar Japan.

The quake was so devastating that expressways and train stations collapsed, and fires broke out throughout the city of Kobe. Government agencies were also hit hard, and the responses of both the national and local governments were slow.

A Sense of Community

Survey results show that 80% of people rescued were saved not by members of fire departments, police departments, or the Self-Defense Forces. Instead, it was the victims' families or neighbors who saved them.

Thirty-one years later, the changes in the social environment, such as a declining birthrate and an aging population, threaten the "community capability." Based on an unwritten social pact of mutual assistance, it is now facing unprecedented challenges.

A 2025 survey conducted by the City of Kobe measured the effect. Nearly 60% of neighborhood groups responded that it would be difficult to carry out firefighting activities in the event of a major earthquake. They were participating in the Disaster Prevention Welfare Community (BOKOMI), a voluntary disaster prevention network established in response to the earthquake.

*Students lay flowers at a memorial ceremony at Seido Elementary School in Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, on January 17. (Sankei by Shigeru Amari)*

In the city, the number of citizens under the age of 20 has decreased by about 60%. It now stands at about 231,000, significantly less than before the earthquake. Meanwhile, the number of residents aged 75 and over continues to grow, reaching approximately 256,000. This represents an increase of approximately 3.7 times that age population 31 years ago.

Over 40% of the BOKOMI member groups report that, within the next few years, it will become difficult for them to carry on their activities. Furthermore, nearly half said that they haven't been able to recruit the members needed to carry on their work. This is a serious situation.

A New Government Agency

The government plans to launch a disaster prevention agency directly under the Cabinet in November. This new agency will serve as a "command center" responsible for everything from disaster prevention to reconstruction. It will also be important to consider how the agency can complement local capabilities that are progressively growing weaker.

Developing an organizational structure that makes use of lessons learned from past disasters would be a helpful task for the agency. That would include the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

A majority of the casualties in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake were due to "crushing or suffocation." As a result, the Seismic Renovation Promotion Law was enacted, which promoted earthquake-resistant reinforcement work on existing infrastructure. Individual households were also encouraged to firmly secure all their furniture. In fact, every one of us should be fully prepared in terms of disaster prevention.

Earthquake Resilience

Japan is a disaster-prone nation. There is a high probability that a mega-earthquake will occur directly beneath the Tokyo Metropolitan area, within the Kuril Trench, or in the Nankai Trough. As a reminder, in December, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture. Weeks later, on January 6, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit eastern Shimane Prefecture.

Nor can anyone forget that this March 11 marks the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. It is one more reason for the entire nation to reaffirm the importance of both preparedness and evacuation.

(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun