The Kanto Massacre Also known as the Kanto Earthquake Massacre, was a disturbing event that occurred on September 1, 1923, in the Kanto region of Japan

The Kanto Massacre Also known as the Kanto Earthquake Massacre, was a disturbing event that occurred on September 1, 1923, in the Kanto region of Japan.

The disaster was caused by a massive earthquake that struck the region, followed by a series of fires that destroyed much of the area. However, what made the Kanto Massacre particularly devastating was the violence that erupted in the aftermath of the disaster.

The earthquake, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck at 11:58 am on September 1,   epicenter was located in Sagami Bay, about 50 p south of Tokyo. The earthquake caused widespread damage, with buildings collapsing and fires breaking out across the region.... Read 

The fires were particularly devastating, as they quickly spread through the wooden buildings that made up much of the area.

In the aftermath of the disaster, chaos and violence erupted in the streets. Many Japanese citizens blamed foreigners, particularly Koreans, for the disaster and the ensuing chaos. This led to a wave of violence and discrimination against Koreans and other foreigners living in the region. Many were beaten, raped, and killed, with estimates of the death toll ranging from 6,000 to 30,000.

The violence was fueled by a number of factors, including long-standing tensions between Japan and Korea, as well as economic and social factors.

On September 5, after Prime Minister Uchida Kōsai acknowledged that unlawful killings had occurred, Tokyo officials met secretly to discuss a way to deny and minimize the massacre. Laying out their plans in a memorandum, they agreed to minimize the number of dead, blame the rumors of Korean violence on the labor organizer Yamaguchi Seiken, and frame innocent Koreans by accusing them of rioting. This plan was executed in the following months. A ban on reporting the death count was obeyed by all newspapers, while officials claimed only five people had died. 

Recommend book: Yokohama Burning by Joshua Hammer. 

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