Japan’s Big Shock-The Tohoku Earthquake

On 11^th March 2011, the big earthquake occurred in Tohoku district in Japan. This is the Tohoku earthquake, also called the Great East Japan earthquake. Tohoku is in east Japan, and there was beautiful area and this was more importantly a popular fishery and farming area, and there was a principal industry area too. These were damaged by the earthquake. In addition, the tsunami triggered by the earthquake seriously damaged nuclear power plants and so on. This paper discusses that earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant issue.

First, this paper will discuss about the earthquake. It is the most powerful earthquake ever in Japan. And, it is one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world. The report told 7.9 MW (Moment Magnitude) first, but it was quickly upgraded to 8.8, and next to 8.9, finally to 9.0 by the United States Geological Survey. But, Japan has experienced the earthquake a lot. It was well prepared for the earthquake. So, the damage of earthquake was a little. But, this one caused a tsunami, it brought about a lot of problems.

This time, the most serious damage was caused by the Tsunami. It was triggered by the earthquake, and hit from Hokkaido to Chiba prefecture. Especially, the three prefectures, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, were seriously damaged. Nobody was able to estimate the big tsunami like that. But, such one occurred in the Meiji Era. Many people, buildings, cars, ships and so on, were floated by the waves. And, the people are still missing. Someone looked at the stricken area and said “Tohoku is as if the battle field. The most factories were unable to produce. The manufacturing in foreign affected and the loss of economic effected.”

Next, this paper will discuss about the nuclear power plants. Fukushima was focused on by all of the world. These are now three infamous nuclear power plants in the world, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima, which joined recently. The crops and livestock products in Tohoku weren’t sold. The exports from Japan require radiological survey in the world. The damage of the economy is big. Germany decided to abolish the nuclear power plant in their home. And, Italian people confronted to stop their nuclear power plants to their government. The trend will spread to the world.

              Japan was damaged by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plants. And, the problems aren’t solved. Naoto Kan, the Japanese prime minister stated at a press conference, "In the 65 years after the end of World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan" (Wikipedia) But, Japanese people were starting to revive. They have to bear many hardships. “Don’t give up, Japan. Don’t give up, Tohoku” was published by the independent, a UK newspaper. Japan was shocked about this. But, it will be surely be revived again.

Works Cited

Japan Earthquake Pictures, Video. Disaster in the Pacific 3/11/2011 ABC News 12 Mar 2011. Youtube. Web. 7 July 2011.                                                                    <www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nTlgtf7TME&feature=relmfu >                        

 Randall David “Towns vanish, thousands die – but a nation begins its fightback”  

THE INDEPENDENCE 13 March 2011.Web.27 June 2011.    
 <www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/towns-vanish-thousands-die--ndash-but-a-nation-begins-its-fightback-2240508.html>  
"2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami" Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 12 June 2011.Web.27 June 2011.                              

<en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami >