Great Hanshin Earthquake - Name

Name

Outside Japan, the earthquake is commonly known as the Kobe earthquake. In Japanese, the disaster by this earthquake is officially called 阪神・淡路大震災 (The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster, Hanshin-Awaji Daishinsai?), which is often shortened to 阪神大震災 (The Great Hanshin Earthquake Disaster, Hanshin Daishinsai?). Hanshin means the region between Osaka and Kobe. In the scientific literature it is often called 平成7年(1995年)兵庫県南部地震 (The 1995 Southern Hyōgo Prefecture Earthquake, Heisei 7 nen −1995 nen- Hyōgo-ken Nanbu Jishin?), the name chosen by the Japan Meteorological Agency in the week after the main shock.