KOBE (Kyodo) -- The western Japan city of Kobe and nearby areas on Friday marked the 30th anniversary of the magnitude 7.3 earthquake that killed over 6,400 people, with many hoping to keep alive the memories as the devastating event continues to teach the importance of enhancing preparedness in the disaster-prone nation.

Residents and victims' families observed a moment of silence at 5:46 a.m., the exact time the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck Kobe and its vicinity in Hyogo Prefecture on Jan. 17, 1995, leaving 6,434 people dead as many homes were flattened.

Thousands of paper and bamboo lanterns were placed at Kobe East Park to form the date "1.17," along with the Japanese word "yorisou," which means being together, in memory of other disaster-affected people such as those affected by the quake that hit Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan on New Year's Day last year.

"We will continue on our way to the new era, keeping in mind the memory and remembering grief," Kobe Mayor Kizo Hisamoto said at a ceremony organized by the city.

Genki Hasegawa, a 38-year-old teacher who lost his mother and brother, spoke as a representative of the victims, saying, "We will pass on the lessons learned from the quake to make more people stand at the starting line for disaster prevention and mitigation."

A separate ceremony is planned by Hyogo Prefecture, with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako expected to attend.

The Kobe quake injured about 43,800 people and damaged or destroyed roughly 640,000 homes. As many as 310,000 people sought refuge in emergency shelters after the quake, and criticism of the government's initially slow response has spurred efforts to strengthen crisis management over the years.

People were shocked by TV images of the 1995 devastation, including a collapsed highway. Post-quake fires also destroyed 7,574 buildings.

Drawing on lessons from the quake, the government has implemented measures to improve disaster response, including establishing a crisis management center at the prime minister's office.

The quake prompted enactment of a law to provide post-disaster assistance to affected residents and spurred the widespread adoption of earthquake insurance.

In recent years, Japan has experienced a series of devastating earthquakes, including the January 2024 temblor that struck the Noto Peninsula. It is feared a megaquake could occur within the next 30 years along the Nankai Trough -- an ocean-floor trench along its Pacific coast where the Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates meet.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has pledged to establish a new disaster management agency to enhance and expedite responses to earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters. The agency is expected to be launched by fiscal 2026.

Passing on the lessons learned from the Great Hanshin Earthquake to younger generations has become increasingly challenging over the years.

A Kyodo News survey of 52 organizations in Hyogo that host memorial events for the quake highlighted the challenge. About 80 percent said it would be difficult to continue holding such events, primarily due to the decline in the number of those experienced the disaster firsthand.