The year 2025 marks the 30th commemoration of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and in order to share the philosophy of "creative recovery" from the disaster in Japan and overseas, pass it on to the next generation, and prepare for the next disaster, we will hold the "Creative Reconstruction Summit" in cooperation with disaster-stricken areas in Japan and overseas.

【Reflection】
Our nation faces heightened disaster risks, including the potential for a massive Nankai Trough earthquake and the increasing frequency and severity of wind and water-related disasters. Against this backdrop, marking the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, affected municipalities and related organizations from Japan and abroad gathered together. They shared the principles of creative reconstruction common to disaster-affected areas such as the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake, the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Kumamoto Earthquake, and the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. They brought their respective initiatives and challenges to the table and discussed how to pass on the legacy of creative reconstruction. Furthermore, at the summit's opening, high school and university students from Hyogo, Miyagi, and Ishikawa Prefectures presented the “Action Declaration for the Next Generation by High School and University Students.” This declaration emerged from a “Student Activity Report Session” where they explored how to pass on disaster experiences and lessons across generations and regions. The Action Declaration included five key points: “Passing on to the Next Generation,” “Building Safer Communities,” “Cultivating Imagination as a Personal Responsibility,” “Enhancing Disaster Prevention Education,” and “Maintaining Ongoing Connections with Affected Areas.”
Based on the summit discussions, a joint declaration titled the “Hyogo Declaration: Connecting the Principles of Creative Reconstruction” was compiled. The declaration states our commitment to advancing the inheritance and dissemination of creative reconstruction, promoting daily preparedness linked to emergencies, and aiming to build safe and secure communities.
Below is an excerpt from the “Hyogo Declaration Connecting the Principles of Creative Reconstruction”:
Learning from the Past, Challenging Ourselves to Move Forward
We declare that we will unite to transform the experiences and lessons of large-scale disasters into the power to shape the future.
(1) Inheriting and Communicating Creative Reconstruction
The driving force of reconstruction is the people living in the affected areas; above all, community bonds are paramount. When local residents cherish their hometown and work together with those connected to the community to support one another, it creates disaster-resilient regions and becomes the source of vitality and vibrancy. This enhances the region's appeal, enabling reconstruction that makes people think, “I want to live here, return here, work here.” Affected municipalities must support those striving to rise resiliently from disaster, collaborate with the private sector, and create new value by leveraging local characteristics and resources. We will pass on and share these principles across generations and regions.
(2) Everyday Preparedness That Connects in Emergencies
In our nation where anyone can be affected, we support disaster-stricken areas through solidarity and sharing. Through mutual support among municipalities, we learn from other disaster-affected areas' experiences. Government and private sectors unite to introduce new technologies for improving evacuation living conditions, strengthen disaster preparedness in homes and communities, and advance disaster education—all to prepare for the next disaster. It is vital that our experiences and preparations are not merely accumulated individually, but constantly reviewed, shared nationwide, and revitalized. We will embed this mindset throughout society so that each person's preparedness contributes to the strength of all.

【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Moving forward, we will translate these efforts into concrete actions focused on preserving and promoting the principles of creative reconstruction, as well as fostering everyday preparedness that connects to emergency response.
First, we will continue our ongoing collaboration with relevant organizations to preserve and promote the principles of creative reconstruction. This will be achieved through various events, including memorial services for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and support for disaster-affected areas both domestically and internationally. We particularly believe it is crucial for the younger generation born after the disaster to participate and pass on the experiences and lessons learned to the future. Therefore, we will continue to prioritize grants and support for disaster prevention activities and other initiatives led proactively by younger generations and students who did not experience the earthquake.
As part of everyday preparedness linked to emergencies, we will address issues revealed by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. This includes measures for isolated communities using low-orbit satellite communications and improving evacuation living conditions through new technologies like toilet cars. Furthermore, in preparation for the imminent Nankai Trough Earthquake, we will revise the prefecture's flood and damage projections based on the national government's updated damage estimates and work on revising the “Nankai Trough Earthquake and Tsunami Countermeasures Action Program.” Furthermore, we will advance the creation of a safe and secure society through the integration of self-help, mutual aid, and public assistance. This includes promoting home stockpiling and raising awareness about securing furniture, strengthening community disaster resilience by enhancing volunteer fire departments and voluntary disaster prevention organizations, and providing practical disaster prevention education through supplementary disaster prevention textbooks and training junior disaster prevention leaders.