When the Kanto earthquake struck on Saturday the 1st of September 1923 at a few minutes to noon, the foreign residents from western countries in the harbour city of Yokohama reached 2,500, and a similar presence was in Tokyo, which as the capital hosted the officers of embassies, consulates, and trade companies. These foreign residents left impressive records of the earthquake occurrence, as well as the fire that started immediately after. To add a different viewpoint to the overall understanding of this earthquake disaster, we concentrated on the considerable quantity of documents now stored at the National Archives (Kew Gardens, UK) and at the Affaires étrangères-Archives diplomatiques (La Courneuve, France). These documents were produced by British and French diplomats and naval commanders as well as foreign residents of different nationalities who were in Yokohama and Tokyo at the time of the earthquake. The immediacy of the descriptions they contain and the details they supply about the earthquake, the fire, and the rescue and relief actions bring us back to the shaking and shocking moments experienced by the people living in Yokohama and Tokyo one hundred years ago.

1. [1] K. Satake, “Recurrence and Long-Term Evaluation of Kanto Earthquakes,” Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 113, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120230072
2. [2] R. Boulter, “Report of the earthquake and fire at Yokohama on September 1, 1923 and subsequent events,” printed, TNA, FO 908/6, pp. 5-26, December 1923.
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8. [8] G. Weisenfeld, “Imaging Disasters – Tokyo and the Visual Culture of Japan’s Great Earthquake of 1923,” University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London, 2012.
9. [9] Anonymous, “Telegram from an anonymous officer of the British Embassy, Tokyo, to the Governor of Hong Kong,” handwritten, TNA, FO 262/1587, p. 513, 2 September 1923.
10. [10] W. Reer Harris, “Brief Account of personal experiences in earthquake and fire in Tokyo on the 1st September 1923,” typewritten, TNA, FO 262/1587, pp. 285-286, Tokyo, 7 Sep 1923.
11. [11] W. P. Hingston, “Report of the Surgeon Commander of the Royal Naval Sick Quarters,” original, typewritten and signed, 4p., not numbered, TNA, ADM 1/8668/176; copy, typewritten in TNA, FO 908/6, pp. 27-30, Yokohama, 1-8 September 1923.
12. [12] Anonymous, “Report by an officer of the French Consulate on damage to the Consulate and Consul’s Residence (Maison de France) buildings, Yokohama,” loose papers and photos, AffEtr 378-2 and AffEtr 378-3, Ministère des Affaires étrangères, comptabilité, immeubles, September 1923.
13. [13] R. H. Griffin, “Report of the Commander of the ship ‘Dongola’ to the Managing Directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company,” typewritten, TNA, FO 908/6, pp. 35-37; copy in TNA, FO 262/1587, pp. 64-66, South Sea, 3 September 1923.
14. [14] S. Robinson, “Report of RMS ‘Empress of Australia’,” typewritten on wax paper, TNA, FO 908/6, pp. 35-83; a revised version was printed later, see TNA, FO 262/1589, pp. 131-151, 12 September 1923.
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