Hyogo
1995 earthquake killed 6,432, destroyed world's #6 port; Kobe recovered in 15 months but never regained ranking (now #72). 2026: resilience model, insurance surge (3%→35%).
Hyogo exists in the shadow of the earthquake that destroyed it. On January 17, 1995, at 5:46 AM, the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck Kobe with magnitude 6.9, killing 6,432 people, destroying 400,000 buildings, and collapsing 120 of the port's 150 quays. The world's sixth-largest container port—which had ranked first globally from 1973-1978—suffered $102.5 billion in damage (2.5% of Japan's GDP).
The recovery was faster than anyone expected. Within a year, import volumes had returned to normal despite only half the port facilities being rebuilt. Manufacturing reached 98% of projected levels within 15 months. But the port never regained its former status—by 2025, Kobe ranks 72nd globally in container traffic, displaced by Busan, Shanghai, and Singapore during the reconstruction years.
What survived was industrial diversification. ASICS, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Kobe Steel still headquarter here; over 100 international corporations maintain Asian headquarters in Kobe. Earthquake insurance take-up surged from 3% to 35% in Hyogo Prefecture. A 2024 re-estimation of losses for a similar event today: $181 billion. By 2026, Kobe's lesson resonates globally—resilient recovery is possible, but lost market position may be permanent. The earthquake insurance industry Kobe's disaster created now protects the world.