On January 17, 2026, Japan commemorated the 31st anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, a devastating disaster that claimed 6,434 lives in Kobe and surrounding areas in 1995. As the number of people with direct experience of the earthquake continues to decline, memorial events across affected regions emphasized the critical importance of passing disaster preparedness knowledge to younger generations—a message particularly relevant for foreign residents in Japan.

According to NHK, memorial ceremonies in Kobe featured lanterns arranged to spell "tsumugu" (つむぐ), meaning "to weave" or "to pass down," symbolizing the ongoing effort to preserve and transmit the lessons learned from the tragedy. The commemorations extended into the evening, with multiple events focused on ensuring that earthquake preparedness knowledge reaches those who never experienced the disaster firsthand.

For expats living in Japan, understanding the country's approach to disaster memory offers important insights into local emergency preparedness culture. The emphasis on継承 (keishō), or "inheritance of knowledge," reflects Japan's recognition that effective disaster response depends on collective memory and shared understanding of risks. This cultural context helps explain why disaster drills are taken seriously in workplaces and communities, and why residents are expected to maintain emergency supplies.

The anniversary comes amid heightened awareness of ongoing seismic risks across Japan. NHK reported on January 16 that experts are concerned about inland earthquakes occurring in areas where active fault lines have not been previously identified. Following the government's comprehensive survey of active faults after the 1995 Kobe earthquake, recent seismic activity—including the January earthquake in eastern Shimane Prefecture—has demonstrated that significant earthquakes can strike in locations not classified as high-risk zones.

Seismologists note that these inland earthquakes tend to occur in regions where geological strain accumulates, even without clearly mapped fault lines. This reality underscores an important message for all Japan residents, including foreigners: earthquake preparedness is essential regardless of your specific location within the country.

The effort to preserve disaster memory extends beyond Japan's borders. Young people from disaster-affected areas are increasingly sharing their experiences internationally. According to NHK, high school students from the Noto Peninsula earthquake disaster zone participated in an OECD session in France, presenting their experiences and recovery perspectives to an international audience. This global outreach reflects Japan's commitment to contributing to worldwide disaster preparedness knowledge.

Similarly, Tokyo is working to make its disaster history accessible to international residents. On January 17, a special lecture in English about the Tokyo Air Raids, which killed approximately 100,000 people, was held to help foreign visitors and residents understand the city's historical experiences with large-scale disasters. These multilingual educational initiatives demonstrate growing recognition that Japan's increasingly diverse population requires disaster information in accessible formats.

For expats, the key lesson from the 31st anniversary is clear: active engagement with disaster preparedness is not optional in Japan. This means participating in community disaster drills, maintaining emergency supplies including water, non-perishable food, and first aid materials, and understanding evacuation routes from your home and workplace. Learning basic disaster-related Japanese vocabulary—such as 避難所 (hinanjo, evacuation center) and 地震 (jishin, earthquake)—can prove critical during emergencies.

The Kobe earthquake's legacy continues to shape Japan's disaster preparedness infrastructure, from building codes to early warning systems. As memorial events emphasized the need to "weave together" lessons from the past, foreign residents should recognize their role in this collective effort. Understanding Japan's disaster history and maintaining personal preparedness helps ensure that the hard-won lessons from tragedies like the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake continue to save lives today.