Disaster Prone Areas in Japan and The Country’s Preparedness

Japanese people are familiar with various disasters because their country is frequently hit by earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons. However, not all of Japan’s regions are at a high risk of natural calamities. Disaster prone areas in Japan typically lie on subduction zones or have a particular topography.

Japan is vulnerable to various natural catastrophes because of its climate and topography. The climate often causes Japan’s rivers to overflow. Moreover, its topography and location cause the country to suffer from tectonic and weather-related hazards.

Disaster Prone Areas in Japan

Japan’s government has taken various measures to reduce its disaster risk. One of them is creating a map of disaster risk areas in Japan. According to this map, the country’s disaster-prone areas are as follows.

1. Flood-Prone Areas

Many people recognize Japan as an earthquake-prone country. However, heavy rains and floods resulting from typhoons have caused massive financial losses in this country. Climate is not the only factor making the country vulnerable to floods. 

Japan’s topography also plays a crucial role in increasing the flood risk rate in this country. Some regions in Japan’s islands are below the sea level. Therefore, they are vulnerable to floods.

According to research, around 20% of Japan’s population lives in those flood-prone areas. Moreover, floods in this country can reach 5 meters tall. Several areas with a high flood risk are Tokyo, Saitama, Hyogo, Kanagawa, and other regions in southern Okinawa, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

2. Earthquake Prone Areas in Japan

One of the most common disasters in Japan is earthquakes. About 10% of the world’s earthquakes occur in this country. The country experiences around 1,500 earthquakes every year. Most of them have a small magnitude. 

However, massive earthquakes may hit this country in the next several years. Experts estimated that a magnitude 9 earthquake will strike some regions in Japan in the next 30 years. Some earthquake-prone areas in this country are Aichi, Kochi, Shizouka, and Miyazaki. 

3. Tsunami Prone Areas in Japan

Some earthquakes in Japan occur under the ocean floor and can trigger tsunamis. The risk of tsunamis in this country is high. There is approximately a 70% chance of devastating tsunamis in this region in the next three decades.

Another report said the deathly waves can reach 30 m in some areas. Moreover, the southeast coast of Japan may be inundated by 10-m waves. 

Moreover, tsunamis in Japan may inundate 1,500 square km of land at various heights covering 12 or 13 prefectures. Some tsunami disaster prone areas in Japan are Tokyo, Kuroshio, Tosashimizu, and other coastal cities along Shizuoka Prefecture to Miyazaki Prefecture.

4. Volcanic Eruption-Prone Areas

High tectonic activities in Japan make the country to be vulnerable to volcanic eruptions. The country has 111 active volcanoes, with Mount Aso as the most active one. 

However, the risk of volcanic explosion is not as high as that of earthquakes and tsunamis. The volcanic eruption-prone places in Japan cover several prefectures, such as Kumamoto, Nagano, Gumma, and Kagoshima.

5. Landslide-Prone Areas

Landslides or mudslides caused by heavy rains, typhoons, or earthquakes occur frequently. In the last ten years, the number of landslides in this country has increased by about 50%. On average, around 1,000 landslides happen in this nation per year.

This disaster frequently occurs due to climate change and Japan’s topography. About two-thirds of Japan’s land is mountainous. Some landslide-prone areas in this country are the inner Northeast Honshu Arc, the Central Eastern Honshu, the Northeast Kyushu Island, and the inner Kurile Island Arc.

A Glimpse of Japan’s Disaster Risk Reduction

The number of disaster prone areas in Japan forces the government to adopt several mitigation strategies to minimize the loss of lives and damage costs. One of them is disaster simulation exercises to improve preparedness for various natural catastrophes. 

The government involves all citizens in those exercises. Moreover, it conducts the simulation exercise regularly. Another strategy to minimize the disaster risk in Japan is the J-Alert. This satellite-based system will broadcast an alert before or during a calamity.

The communication channels used in disseminating alerts are cell broadcasts, email, TV stations, radio stations, sirens, and community loudspeakers. Among these channels, the cell broadcast is exceptionally resilient. 

This technology uses the radio cells of cellphone networks to send disaster alerts. Therefore, the cell broadcaster can disseminate warnings without a phone number database, credits, network services, and an internet connection. It is also effective and efficient because it can reach more people quickly.

Disaster prone areas in Japan cover many prefectures where millions of people live. Thankfully, the country has excellent disaster mitigation. Other countries can also improve their disaster risk reduction strategy by utilizing Hitech Terminal cell broadcasters.