Great Hanshin earthquake
Several commemoration ceremonies were recently held for victims of the 
 of 1995, mainly in Kansai region. The municipality of Kobe and supporting organisations held one such ceremony in the early morning of January 17. It was the biggest ceremony held that day. Over 5,000 people gathered in the East Playground in the center of city. Participants included surviving citizens and volunteers from around the whole country who had helped out. At 5:43 a.m., just 10 years after the earthquake first occurred, people lit candles in honor of the 6,433 victims. The victims included 133 people who died in the aftermath of the disaster, due to physical or mental difficulties caused by the heavy changes in their life. 
Kobe commemorates earthquake victims