Skip to Content

Japan marks 100 years since the devastating Great Kanto Quake, with disaster drills nationwide

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s prime minister has staged a televised a disaster drill in which he declared a fictional state of emergency based on a real-life earthquake that devastated the capital region a century ago. Fumio Kishida led the exercise Friday, based on a hypothetical 7.3-magnitude tremblor, as Japan marked the centennial of the 1923 Great Kanto Quake that killed more than 100,000 people. The aftermath of the real quake featured a tragedy that the government has never fully acknowledged: The mass murder of ethnic Koreans as baseless rumors swirled that they were poisoning wells. Japan, which sits on the Pacific “ring of fire,” is among the world’s most quake-prone countries.

Article Topic Follows: AP-Colorado

Jump to comments ↓

Associated Press

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KION 46 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content