The Effects of the Tohoku Earthquake on Present-Day Japan

By: Kristin Ronzi

March 27, 2015

The past March 11 marked the fourth anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and the subsequent tsunami. Despite the fact that much of Japan has rebuilt the infrastructure since the disaster, the effects of it have taken its toll on the national psyche.

The disaster, above all else, was a reminder of the fragility and vulnerability of the country. After the Kobe earthquake in the early 1900s, Japan had strengthened its infrastructure to make it prepared for future earthquakes.

Historically, Japan has had a history of earthquakes and tsunamis, particularly in the area around Fukushima. Though smaller tsunamis have an occurrence of once every 100 years, tsunamis of the Tohoku magnitude occur only once every 1,000 years. Such tsunamis were only recorded in artworks and in monks' scrolls, but nobody is a current survivor of any of the previous disasters.

The tsunamis complicate Japan’s relationship with nature. Though there has been a longstanding tradition of respecting nature and preserving some of the natural treasures, the Tohoku earthquake posed the natural disaster threat that challenged the Japanese relationship with the natural world.

Now the focus has shifted from rebuilding to restructuring. There’s a strained relationship that now the people of Tohoku have with the government. Due to inconsistent and misleading information in the days after the evacuation, many people speculated that the government was withholding information vital to their personal protection. Whether or not this is true, the people now doubt some of the government’s actions.

However, much of Tohoku still has the caustic effects of governmental inaction and the natural disaster. After the nuclear reactor problems, a 20 kilometer exclusion zone was created and forced many people outside of their homes. While there was an expectation that the government would easily rehouse the people, as of March 2014, there were still 300,000 refugees living in temporary shelters.

In planning for the future, there are preparations to better protect the people of the hard-hit Miyagi prefecture. After the earthquake, a group of scientists and city planners revisited the evacuation protocols. Some of the problems were geographical and developmental: there are very few tall buildings in the region that made it difficult for people to reach higher lands fast enough. A few selected buildings like multi-story high schools, however, were tall enough to not be submerged by the wave, but these buildings are rare in the relatively flat area.

While the physical damage occurred mostly in the Tohoku regions, Japan as a nation underwent changes after that day. There are subtle differences in Tokyo even as a growing consciousness of the earthquake risk weighs on the people. Previously, earthquakes that would be ignored are now noted by office ladies and universities. The evacuation policies are now made clear all over and posted in every building. While these measures are not necessarily new, their visibility has increased.

Now, there’s an increased awareness that at any time there could be another earthquake and another tsunami; however, there’s no preoccupation with it. There’s a recognition of the potential danger, but people continue about their daily life. Living in Tokyo, March 11 is reserved for mourning and remembrance, but other than that the city is largely untouched by the events of that day.

Except for that day, though, Tokyo remains largely isolated and sheltered from the long-term effects. Every once in a while there is someone collecting money at one of the popular subway stations for a charity organization. They usually have signs that read “We must never forget 3/11.” While it seems absurd, the weight of the tragedy is undermined by the busyness of Tokyo. People don’t dwell on the disaster, nor do they recognize the daily struggle that many northern Japanese still face. It’s a scene of naïveté—and now, indifference—in Tokyo just a few hundred kilometers south.

Even in Tokyo, however, because of Japan’s proclivity to having earthquakes and tsunamis, there’s fear of a reoccurrence of such a tragedy. But if there’s one thing that’s become clear, it is that Japan is resilient. Despite a history riddled with tragedy both natural and man-made, Japan has persevered and that provides a sense of hope. Japan continues to rebuild and heal from the earthquake and tsunami and will move forward no matter what the future may hold.

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