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The Hanshin-Awaji region is a region which has driven the economic and
social development of not only the Kansai region but also Japan as a whole and
constitutes the main artery of Japanese traffic between east and west Japan.
Kobe is also a prominent city for tourism as well as an outstanding port city
of Japan. For this reason, the earliest possible reconstruction of this city
is an extremely important task for the future of Japan as well.
The Headquarters for Reconstruction of HANSHlN-AWAJI AREA decided on April
28 the "Basic Standpoint and Measures to be taken for the Rehabilitation and
Reconstruction of the Hanshin-Awaji Region". Measures related to the Ministry
of Transport include such measures for rehabilitation and reconstruction as
an early rehabilitatiofi and improvement of the earthquake resistance of railways
and ports, improvement and construction of bases at ports for prevention of
disaster, assistance for rehabilitation of the physical distribution and tourism,
etc. Based on the 10-year Rehabilitation Program compiled by the Hyogo prefecture
and Kobe City, the "Policy to be Taken for the Rehabilitation of the Hanshin-Awaji
Region" was decided at the abovementioned government office on July 28 In the
"Policy", the urgent and indispensable measures for the rehabilitation in the
first 5 years were defined as the special projects for rehabilitation and it
was decided that special measures be implemented to carry out the projects smoothly
and best efforts be made for their steady realization.
In line with this decision, the Ministry of Transport gave assistance for
the rehabilitation and reconstruction out of the second supplementary budget
for fiscal 1994 and the first and second supplementary budgets for fiscal 1995
to promote the rehabilitation of living in the stricken area, economic recovery,
etc. through the rehabilitation and reconstruction of railways, ports and tourism.
As a result, all sections of railways were recovered on August 23 and it is
anticipated that the port facilities will be almost recovered in fiscal 1996.
By special motor boat races to be held in fiscal 1995 by professional motor
boat race's associations concerned, it is planned to secure the "fund for support
of rehabilitation from the earthquake disaster" with a targetted amount of 5
billion yen. This fund will be utilized to secure the traffic network at the
Kobe port area and stricken districts as well as to improve the living of sufferers
and also for businesses which will contribute to recovery of the regional economy.
(i) Rehabilitation of railways
(a) Basic policy
Regarding the rehabilitation of railway facilities, the "Railway facilities
Aseismic Structure Investigation Committee" which was established in the Ministry
of Transport on January 18 conducted field surveys on railway facilities damaged
by the earthquake and examined the policy for rehabilitation. The committee
presented a tentative line of policy regarding the rehabilitation, stating "Regarding
the rehabilitation, in case where, depending on the situation of damages, the
damaged portions are reinforced or parts or materials are newly constructed,
it is required to adopt measures to give the structure greater strength than
the strength of the original structure by improving the reinforcement bands
of steel robs, or covering with iron plates, etc." In addition, for elevated
bridges to be rehabilitated this time by reinforcement, it is to be confirmed
by experiments that the structure be resistible to any earthquake of the similar
size (by the primary interim report). The "Special Design specifications for
Restoration of Railway Structures damaged by the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake
Disaster" was drawn up. In the special specifications, its object is that for
the elevated bridges and open-cut tunnels which are not reinforced but reconstructed
this time, it is aimed to make the structure resistible to any earthquake of
the similar size.
Based on these ideas, after the Ministry of Transport confirmed the safety,
etc. regarding the rehabilitation plan for railway facilities, each railway
operator conducted the rehabilitation works.
(ii) Measures to support rehabilitation
Unless the smooth transport of passengers and cargoes was secured by quick
rehabilitation of stricken railways, there was a fear of exerting remarkable
damage to people's lives. It was extremely difficult for railway operator to
carry out rehabilitation works for damages only by their own funds. For these
reasons, the Ministry of Transport gave assistance for the rehabilitation works
for damages out of the second supplementary budget of fiscal 1994 and the first
supplementary budget of fiscal 1995 and also provided disaster recovery loans
at a low interest rate from the Japan Development Bank.
(iii) Situation of rehabilitation
Shinkansen lines were recovered at the section between Himeji and Okayama
on January 18 and between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka on January 20. Conventional lines
of JR was recovered fully on the Fukuchiyama line with its first train on January
21 and services were resumed one after another on other lines.
The sections interrupted as of January 24, one week after the earthquake,
were indicated in Fig. 9 (a).
Thanks to efforts by parties concerned, those lines were recovered successively
and on April I all conventional lines of JR West were reopened for service and
on April 8 the whole line of Sanyo Shinkansen was resumed for service. As a
result of the recovery of the whole lines of Hankyu and Hanshin Electric Railway
in June, the rehabilitation works progressed as shown in Fig.
9 (b). With the reopening of the whole line of the Rokko Island Line on
August 23, all interrupted sections of railways in the stricken area have been
recovered.
(2) Rehabilitation and reconstruction of ports
(i) Basic idea for the reconstruction of Kobe Port
The Ministry of Transport drew up, in consultation with Kobe City, which
is the managing body of Kobe Port, the "The fundamental approach on the restoration
of Kobe Port which was damaged by Southern Hyogo Prefecture Earthquake" on February
10.
In this basic idea, in order for Kobe Port to function as the Asian base
port, the rehabilitation should be carried out aiming at (1) early recovery
of port functions ; (2) reinforcing the earthquake resistance of facilities
; (3) collaboration with the reconstruction of city districts ; and (4) rehabilitation
as the international base port. Especially regarding the reinforcement of earthquake
resistance, in addition to the improvement of earthquake resistance of facilities,
expansion of the earthquake-resistant quay-wall, such multiple paths as the
combination of bridges and undersea tunnels should be installed to connect the
artificial island and the city district.
Based on this basic idea, Kobe City published on April 28 the "Kobe Port
Reconstruction Plan", which aims at the contributing to the reconstruction and
activation of the whole city by making rapid development of Kobe Port from a
mere physical distribution base to a comprehensive base for interchange where
people, goods and information gather. This rehabilitation plan consists of the
"The short term plan on the restoration of Kobe Port " which aims at the rehabilitation
in approximately two years and the The middle and long term plans". Based on
the "Port of Kobe Master Plan " revised on February 17 (the goal year is around
2105), making the best use of various lessons of the earthquake disaster, and
paying adequate consideration to the aspect of prevention of disaster, the "medium-
and long-term rehabilitation plan" is drawn up to aim at development of a new
port on the basis of actual situation after the earthquake.
In order to correspond to this rehabilitation plan, partial amendment to
the "Port Development Plan for Kobe Port" was approved by the Council for Ports
and Harbors on August 3.
In accordance with this port development plan, Kobe City has decided to
propel the reclamation of land which contribute to disposal of rubble, strengthening
of physical distribution functions by earthquake-resistant redevelopment, earthquake-resistant
quay wall, construction of high-standard international marine container terminal,
construction of green tracts of land which create comfortable environment.
(ii) Measures for assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction
As Kobe Port is playing a great role in Japanese economic activities and
the reconstruction of Kobe Port is essential for the rehabilitation of stricken
area, the Japanese government adopts measures for assistance for the reconstruction
of Kobe Port.
Specifically, in accordance with the "Law concerning the Special Financial
Assistance and Subsidy to Cope with the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake Disaster'',
the system of assistance by the national subsidy, etc. has been established
for the rehabilitation of damaged container berths and ferry berths, mainstay
of port facilities of Kobe Port which are owned by the Kobe Port Terminal Corporation
and the budget system has been also established for reconstruction of port green
areas. Furthermore, as the most recent measure, part of the cost of rehabilitation
of materials-handling machines owned by. Kobe City was subsidized. In order
to facilitate early recovery of port functions, out of the second supplementary
budget for fiscal 1994 and the first and second supplementary budget for fiscal
1995, it is intended to conduct disaster restoration works for quay-walls, breakwaters,
container berths, materials handling machines and port green areas, etc. At
the same time, by construction of high-standard international marine container
terminal with the water depth of 15 meters, it is intended to strengthen the
port function and international competitiveness. At the same time, by construction
of disaster prevention bases with the green belt having disaster prevention
functions, it is aimed to increase the competence of prevention of disaster
of city. In addition, the low interest loans was established for the reconstruction
of private port facilities by the Japan Development Bank as well as the extra
low interest loans, for the reconstruction of coastal protection facilities
owned by private sectors.
(iii) Situation of rehabilitation of Kobe Port
Emergency works were immediately initiated for those parts which required
to be rehabilitated urgently and at the end of January, the works were completed
on 68 berths out of approximately 150 public wharfs. As of November 6, 63 berths
have been made available for use. One general cargo berth has been recovered
fully and out of 21 container berths, 8 berths have been made available for
temporary use. Of the 7 ferry berths, 2 berths were made ready for full use
and I berth for temporary use.
Out of 201 regular lines departing from and arriving at Kobe, 141 lines
have been resumed as of November 15 and the number of ocean going vessels in
October recovered to approximately 87% of the number of the same month of the
preceding year.
The volume of containers for foreign trade recovered in September to approximately
70% of the volume of the same month of the preceding year (Table
9).
(iv) Construction of the wharves and piers which are constructed to support
the speedy recovery of container terminals at Kobe Port
Based on the proposal by the Hanshin-Awaji Rehabilitation Committee, the
construction of the wharves and piers which are constructed to support the speedy
recovery of container terminals at Kobe Port (2 berths for container vessels
for foreign trade and 2 berths for marine feeder vessels) with the depth of
13-14 meters and the length of 1,000 meters has been carried out at Rokko Island
for an early recovery of functions of handling containers for foreign trade
at Kobe Port. Of these container berths for foreign trade, the construction
of one berth has been completed at the end of October and its use started on
November 13.
(v) Rehabilitation schedule for Kobe Port
It is intended that the port functions be recovered within fiscal 1996.
Approximately one third of container wharfs, 5 out of 7 ferry terminals, and
50% of general berths are scheduled to be made available for full use by the
end of fiscal 1995. Regarding the dock road, the whole line of the Harbor Highway
is scheduled for use by August 1996.
(vi) Measures for rubble at port
According to the calculation made by Hyogo Prefecture, the rubble produced
by the earthquake amount to approximately 18.5 million tons and in order to
realize smooth rehabilitation of city areas it is essential to dispose of this
rubble at an early stage. It was decided to secure places for temporary storage
and shipping out of rubble at Kobe Port and the ports of Amagasaki, Nishinomiya
and Ashiya, and from January 24 rubble produced as a result of reconstruction
of roads, railways, etc. and that from 12 cities and towns was accepted at the
sea disposing place of the Osaka Bay Regional Offshore Environmental Improvement
Center. For full-scale acceptance of rubble, procedures relating to the port
and harbor plan and the license for reclamation have been expedited and it is
intended to positively utilize rubble as material for improvement works of port
facilities at Kobe Port and others.
(vii) "Cheer up. Kobe Port! Revitalization Festa"
"Cheer up, Kobe Port! Revitalization Festa" was held from September to November
1995 under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport, which was planned to appeal
domestically and internationally the current recovered stage of Kobe Port as
well as to encourage the people physically and mentally damaged by the earthquake.
The main events of this period were "The Symposium on the Revitalization
of the Port of Kobe" and "The seminar on Maritime Affairs and Port" which were
to inform shippers and shipping companies of restored situation of Kobe Port
for actual use.
"Exhibition of Techno-Superliner HISHO, experimental prototype of high speed
ocean going ferry", "Study Tour of Kansai International Airport" and some other
events were also conducted in order to give some mental relief to the people
damaged by the earthquake.
(1) Basic policy and measures of assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction
In the area with Kobe City as its center exist a wide variety of tourism
resources, such as historical buildings, and tourism is not only an important
industry but also plays a great role in the formation of regional culture.
Utilizing such characteristics and taking into account the reconstruction
as an area of exchange of international tourism, the following measures were
implemented for the rehabilitation of tourism in the area.
(i) Council on measures for reconstruction of hotels, ryokan, etc.
The council for discussion of tasks and measures for early resumption of
services and promotion of use of hotels and ryokan in the stricken area was
established. The council established the system for providing information on
the state of rehabilitation of facilities for lodging and tourism, formulated
measures for use such as promotion of invitation of various meetings and is
trying to materialize these measures.
(ii) Research Committee concerning Comprehensive Tourism Reconstruction
Plan
A committee was established to grasp the situation of damages to tourism
resources and facilities in the area and prospect for rehabilitation and examine
how the overall tourism rehabilitation plan should be and is engaged in investigation
and examination.
(2) State of rehabilitation of tourism facilities
Approximately 60% of lodging facilities such as hotels were unable to operate
even at the middle of February. At the middle of April, in conformity with the
recovery of whole line of conventional lines of JR and Sanyo Shinkansen and
complete rehabilitation of vital lines, approximately 70% resumed services.
Afterward, in accordance with the recovery of private railways, reopening of
services progressed and around the middle of November approximately 90% have
resumed their services.
Tourism facilities such as amusement parks, museums and important cultural
assets resumed by 60% by the middle of April and approximately 80% restarted
their businesses by the middle of November.
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