Special Issue on Recovery from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

Abstract

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995 revealed the vulnerability of modern cities to earthquakes, not in the damage to structures but also to the lives of people, local communities, and the economy. As a result, recovery and reconstruction have become indispensable to all aspects of modern cities. With the earthquake almost 12 years in the past and recovery and reconstruction almost completed, it is time for us to look back on the process. This issue (JDR Vol.2 No.5) features a roundup of post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction, including viewpoints on the challenges faced in the wake of massive damage and injury, destruction of over 400,000 damaged houses and infrastructure lifeline facilities such as water, electricity, and gas, and the collapse and rebuilding of local communities and the economy. This issue follows recovery and reconstruction and provides information on processes that could be useful in the case of a large earthquake in the future.