Japan Earthquake And Tsunami

Question 1

What was the date of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami?

Answer 1

The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami occurred on 11 March 2011.

Question 2

What was the magnitude of the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 2

The magnitude of the Tohoku earthquake was 9.0.

Question 3

What tectonic plates were involved in the Tohoku earthquake?

Answer 3

The tectonic plates involved were the Pacific plate and the North American plate.

Question 4

How fast are the Pacific and North American plates converging?

Answer 4

The plates are converging at about 8 cm/year.

Question 5

How high did the tsunami waves reach in some places?

Answer 5

The tsunami waves reached up to 10 meters high in places.

Question 6

What percentage of buildings in Japan are constructed with earthquakes in mind?

Answer 6

75% of buildings in Japan are constructed with earthquakes in mind.

Question 7

What measures were in place to prepare for tsunamis in Japan?

Answer 7

Japan had ten-metre high walls, evacuation shelters, and marked evacuation routes.

Question 8

What was the impact on the population in terms of deaths and missing persons?

Answer 8

The event resulted in 15,749 deaths and 3,962 missing individuals.

Question 9

How many buildings were totally collapsed due to the disaster?

Answer 9

129,225 buildings totally collapsed.

Question 10

What was the estimated damage cost of the Tohoku disaster?

Answer 10

The damage is estimated at around $35 billion.

Question 11

What effect did the tsunami have on Japan’s economy?

Answer 11

Japan’s economy struggled significantly due to the destruction of factories and warehouses.

Question 12

What caused Japan to struggle with food production after the tsunami?

Answer 12

The farmland was left covered in salt (salinisation) and much of the farming infrastructure was gone.

Question 13

What happened to reactors 1, 2, and 3 at the Fukushima nuclear power station?

Answer 13

They experienced full meltdown in the days following the tsunami, releasing radioactive material into the ocean and land.

Question 14

What was a major oversight in Japan’s disaster planning for nuclear power plants?

Answer 14

Japan failed to take into account the impact of a tsunami on a nuclear power plant.

Question 15

What percentage of Japan’s electricity came from nuclear energy before the earthquake and tsunami?

Answer 15

27% of Japan’s electricity came from nuclear energy.

Question 16

What happened to Japan’s nuclear reactors after the earthquake?

Answer 16

All 44 of Japan’s nuclear reactors were closed.

Question 17

What was the percentage of electricity generated by nuclear power in Japan by 2013?

Answer 17

By 2013, the amount of electricity generated by nuclear power in Japan had dropped to just 1%.

Question 18

What were the economic impacts of shutting down nuclear reactors in Japan?

Answer 18

Electricity prices went up by about 20%, the government’s debt level rose, and greenhouse gas emissions increased.

Question 19

What did the Japanese government promise immediately after the Fukushima accident?

Answer 19

The government promised to reduce the country’s use of nuclear energy.

Question 20

What was the energy policy announced in 2014 regarding nuclear energy in Japan?

Answer 20

By 2030, nuclear energy was expected to generate 20-22% of Japan’s electricity.

Question 21

How did the Fukushima accident affect global attitudes towards nuclear energy?

Answer 21

The accident resulted in a loss of public acceptability of nuclear power and led countries like Italy and Germany to shut down their nuclear reactors.

Question 22

What was the immediate response of the Japanese government to the disaster?

Answer 22

Within 4 hours, 110,000 defense troops had been mobilized.

Question 23

How did the media respond immediately after the earthquake in Japan?

Answer 23

All radio and TV stations switched to official earthquake coverage to inform the public.

Question 24

What financial support did the Bank of Japan offer after the earthquake?

Answer 24

The Bank of Japan offered $US 183 billion to Japanese banks to keep operating.

Question 25

How did Japan’s response to international aid compare to Haiti and China?

Answer 25

Japan quickly accepted help from over 20 countries, while Haiti faced delays and China had no procedures for accepting international help.

Question 26

What role did the Tsunami warning center in Hawaii play after the earthquake?

Answer 26

It warned people about the potential tsunami and advised evacuations of the east coast if possible.

Question 27

How many countries and international organizations offered assistance to Japan?

Answer 27

134 countries and 39 international organizations offered assistance.

Question 28

What did Japan do to improve its tsunami defenses after the disaster?

Answer 28

Japan rebuilt its tsunami defences to greater height and strength suitable for dealing with tsunamis.