Japan marks 20th anniversary of killer quake in Kobe

Japan on Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the Kobe earthquake that killed more than 6,400 people with renewed calls for the quake-prone nation to stay vigilant against the next “Big One.” More than 14,000 people gathered to commemorate the victims in the western port city of Kobe, where a 7.2-magnitude quake hit at 5:46 am on January 17, 1995. The quake leveled much of the city and sparked a major review of quake preparedness in the island-nation that suffers about one fifth of the world’s most powerful tremors. Kobe survivors and family members of victims gathered before dawn to lay bouquets and light thousands of candles in a park used as an evacuation centre after the 1995 jolt.

By learning lessons from the disaster we will do our best to build a community where we can live in safety.

Eriko Yamatani, state minister for disaster management

Later in the day, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended a memorial ceremony in the city and offered a one-minute prayer with some 500 other participants. The quake buried residents in flattened buildings and uprooted highway overpasses and train tracks, while fires raged through collapsed timber houses and acrid smoke darkened the sky. Heavy damage to the harbour area, where nearly all of the 300 shipping berths were destroyed, dealt a severe blow to the city’s economy, sparking a population exodus over the following months and years. Japanese broadcasters and newspapers reminded citizens of the high probability of another big quake, with geologists saying a major event is overdue.

We want to speed up preparations for building a strong country against disasters. We cannot eliminate damage completely, but we can start making efforts any day now to reduce damage.

An Asahi Shimbun editorial

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