On April 28, Kobe City, Japan, hosted the Kobe Global Conference, an international event focused on resilience, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Mayors from eight countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Portugal, and Japan – gathered to share their experiences with disasters and related risks. The conference also served as a platform for discussing preparedness and responses to natural disasters and other climate-related crises.

The 1995 Kobe Earthquake and Its Damage

A large earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 hit Kobe and the surrounding areas in the early morning of January 17, 1995. It caused serious damage, especially in crowded neighborhoods with many wooden houses. Many buildings collapsed, and fires started in several places. Lifelines such as electricity, water, gas, and phone were cut off. The earthquake killed 6,434 people, including 4,571 people who lived in Kobe. More than 67,000 houses were completely destroyed in the city, and over 55,000 were badly damaged.

Resilient Reconstruction

After the earthquake, Kobe City focused on building back better by applying the lessons learned from the disaster. One example is that one of the city’s sewage treatment plants suffered devastating damage and was out of operation for as long as 100 days. In contrast, large-diameter sewer pipes buried deep underground sustained no significant damage. Based on this experience, Kobe City connected its five sewage treatment plants using large-diameter sewer pipes to create a sewer network system. This system allows for the continued treatment of wastewater by diverting flow to other plants if one goes offline. Although the development of this network took a long time and required significant investment, the city undertook it as a critical step toward strengthening future resilience.
The project began shortly after the earthquake in 1996 and was completed in 2011. Additionally, recognizing that damage had been concentrated in densely built-up urban areas, the city created open spaces to serve as disaster response hubs during emergencies such as fires or earthquakes. These spaces are also used as public plazas during normal times. The city has also placed strong emphasis on disaster education, teaching children in schools how to respond in the event of a disaster.

It Can Happen Anywhere

In his keynote speech, Kizo Hisamoto, Mayor of Kobe City, reflected on his personal experience, noting that until he moved to Tokyo at the age of 18, he could barely recall ever feeling an earthquake in Kobe. He explained that while in Tokyo, he often experienced tremors of seismic intensity 3 or 4, he never imagined that such a massive earthquake could strike Kobe. He emphasized that thirty years ago, most Kobe citizens never envisioned experiencing a major disaster of that scale.

Today, we see devastating natural disasters happening around the world. Floods, heatwaves, and wildfires caused by climate change are becoming more common. Many of these events, like the one in Kobe, were unexpected or beyond what was imagined at the time. The mayors in attendance discussed the impacts of climate change on their own regions, agreeing that such events could occur anywhere at any time. Participants emphasized the importance of applying lessons learned from disasters in their own regions, as well as from those in other regions and countries, to build sustainable cities.

Working Together with People

Pierluigi Biondi, Mayor of L’Aquila, Italy, which was struck by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in 2009, spoke about how local citizens were involved in the post-disaster recovery process. He emphasized that citizen participation is essential for successful recovery. This was also true in Kobe, where self-help and mutual support among citizens were vital to the reconstruction process. Leader Susan Aitken of Glasgow City Council also stressed that participation from all citizens is key to building a sustainable city. All of the mayors agreed that local governments, being closest to the people, are in the best position to understand community needs and create effective solutions.

At the conclusion of the conference, the “Joint Statement of the Kobe Global Conference” was adopted, in which the participating cities stated their intention to continue sharing knowledge and promoting exchanges among cities, with the aim of advancing disaster prevention and reduction at the global level and contributing to the creation of a safe and sustainable society. We hope that this conference will serve as an opportunity for each resident to reflect on disaster prevention and risk reduction, and for cities to share knowledge and work together toward a sustainable society.

The Conference Attendees

Mayor Kizo Hisamoto, Kobe City, Japan
Mayor Hayato Shimizu, Saitama City, Japan
Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, City of Kitchener, Canada
President Pia Imbs, the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, France
Vice President Françoise Schaetzel, the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, France
Mayor Eckart Würzner, City of Heidelberg, Germany
Mayor Pierluigi Biondi, City of L’Aquila, Italy
Leader Susan Aitken, Glasgow City Council, United Kingdom
Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, City of Columbia, Missouri, United States
Mayor Ricardo Rio, City of Braga, Portugal