Huge Earthquake 30 years ago in Kobe, Japan
I attended the memorial event commemorating the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, which struck 30 years ago(January 17th, 1997). The disaster claimed the lives of over 7,000 people. Personally, I had to commute to work on foot, by bicycle, or via substitute bus services due to the extensive damage to the railway system. Regarding its restoration, the railway took approximately six months to be fully rebuilt. From this incident, people in Japan came to recognize the limitations in the ability and capacity of the statutory sector, as well as the necessity of mutual aid and the role of civil society. As a result, for instance, a new law was enacted to facilitate the incorporation of NPOs, and greater attention was given to the concepts of partnership and local governance.