Great Kanto Earthquake

On September 1, 1923, a magnitude 7.9-8.0 earthquake struck the Kanto region of Japan, with its epicenter approximately 100 km southwest of Tokyo. The initial shock triggered fires that burned for days, destroying roughly 60% of Tokyo's buildings and 80% of Yokohama's. An estimated 105,000-140,000 people died, and 1.5 million were left homeless. The disaster prompted mass vigilante violence against Korean residents and led to large-scale reconstruction that reshaped Tokyo's urban infrastructure.