5.b. case study japan various strategies to manage hazards from earthquakes

background

japans economic wealth, highly developed education system and stable political environment enable it to cope with the constant threat of high magnitude earthquake events

attempts to mitigate against the event

harder as earthquakes cannot be prevented but japan tries to change the immediate physical effects. one is the earthquake early warning system which detects P waves before more destructive S waves arrive. the alerts go to phones, trains and factories to maximise the coverage and reach the majority of the population. this means the bullet trains automatically stop and people can find safety. also there is automatic infrastructure shut down systems. this happens with gas, electricity and industrial systems. this reduces secondary effects of the event as it prevents fires and explosions. for tsunamis and floods japan has built extensive sea walls, tsunami gates and coastal flood barriers. these were also strengthened after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. land use zoning restricts development in high risk areas like liquefaction zones or fault lines. there are also open spaces designed for evacuation

attempts to mitigate against the vulnerability

japan has developed a high level of preparedness to deal with earthquake hazards. among the mitigation strategies employed are the following:

• research and monitoring- japan meteorological agency lies at the heart of japans mitigation strategies for natural disasters including earthquakes and tsunamis and extreme weather events such as typhoons. it is responsible for providing information and warnings of impending earthquakes and tsunamis. detailed disaster planning involves a wide range of organisations like govs, medical services, fire, military, transport, power and telecommunications companies

• buildings with aseismic design- eg steel frames and braces capable of moving without collapsing, rubber shock absorbers in foundations, very deep foundations into solid rock, a soft storey at the bottom of tall buildings such as a car park which collapses allowing upper floors to sink down on it, counter weights on roofs which move during an earthquake, suspension bridhes capable of movement rather than rigid cantilever design, flexible joints in underground utility pipes- gas and water

• fireproofing older wooden buildings which are common in old districts of japanese cities

• land use zoning that provides for open spaces where people can assemble after an earthquake

• controlling buildings in locations susceptibe to excessove ground shaking ot liquefaction

• tsunami warning system off the coast

• refuge sires on permanent stand by equipped with tents, bottle water and blankets

• community preparedness- ongoing education and training for all ages

• there are nationwide disaster drills to increase preparedness

attempts to mitigate against losses

being one of the most advanced countries in the world, japan has vast resources to manage losses caused by earthquakes. well rehearsed recovery amd reconstruction plans at national, regional and local levels can be actioned immediatelt following an earthquake. the aim is to rebuild physically, economically and socially as quickly as possible

there are rapid response systems that have a coordinated response between the gov, japans self defence forces and emergency services. this allows search and rescue and medical care to be sped up. there are widespread earthquake insurance for homes and businesses, and this helps people recover financially faster. companies prepare backup systems in the event with alternative supply chains, remote working and data backups. this reduces economic losses should the earthquake ruin documents and departments

conclusion

recent earthquakes have caused japan to reappraise how it manages the impacts of earthquakes and related hazards. after the kobe quake in 1995 much work was undertaken restrengthening structures such as bridges and roads that were previously thought to be safe from shaking. today following the tohoku earthquake, tsunami hazard management is being thoroughly reappraised. japans strategies to mitigate the exposure, vulnerability and losses are constantly being updated. the country, industries, businesses and families tend to have the resources that give them a high degress of resilience. by contrast EDCs and LIDCs have fewer resoures and so their resilience is much less. as a result the impacts of earthquake disasters in the short term are more serious and longer lasting