On September 3, 1923, a massive earthquake struck the Kanto region of Japan, devastating Tokyo and Yokohama. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.9 and caused fires that ravaged the area, killing over 140,000 people. The destruction was compounded by the difficulty in providing aid due to fires and infrastructure collapse. This tragedy highlighted the vulnerability of cities to natural disasters and led to significant advancements in earthquake preparedness and building codes in Japan. The earthquake remains one of Japans most catastrophic natural disasters.