March 23, 2011
By Toru Momii and Emi Wang
On March 11 at 2:46 p.m., the most powerful earthquake in Japan's history hit the northeast coast of the country. Recorded at 9.0 on the Richter scale, this earthquake then triggered a devastating tsunami that swept the coastal areas, leveling entire cities and isolating many communities. Together, this crisis ranks as Japan's worst natural disaster since 1923. At the epicenter, it is estimated that 10,000 people may be dead from the town of Minamisanriku alone. The most recent estimates by The New York Times indicate that overall, the official death toll has surpassed 9,000, with over 12,000 missing and 500,000 homeless. These numbers are slowly increasing by the day.
As if that were not enough, Japan has had to deal with another crisis: a potential nuclear meltdown. Although the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant withstood the earthquake, the tsunami critically damaged the cooling systems of the nuclear reactors, exposing the nuclear rods and releasing radiation into the atmosphere as a result. Out of the six nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, four have been at risk for leaking radiation. Since then, the Tokyo Electric Power Company has been attempting to cool these reactors in an effort to stop the release of radioactive materials and avert a nuclear meltdown. Although Japanese officials have reported progress in gaining control over these reactors, radiation levels continue to rise and fall daily, and abnormal levels of radiation have been detected in locally produced foods and surrounding seawater. The Japanese government has ordered the evacuation of all residents living within 20 km of the plant and warned residents living within 30 km to stay indoors.
Japan is widely considered to be the best-prepared nation in the world for an earthquake: The country has strict building codes, and conducts earthquake and tsunami drills starting in elementary school. According to The Yomiuri Shimbun, the government completed a 25-foot tall tsunami barrier in Kamaishi two years ago to protect the region against further tsunamis. Among the world's stongest, the barrier was four miles long and 200 feet in depth. This year's tsunami easily toppled the barrier. The scale of the Tohoku earthquake was unprecedented: Japan had thought they had prepared for the worst-case scenario, yet the catastrophe eclipsed any natural disaster Japan had been expecting. Even with a high level of preparation, the earthquake proved once again that mother nature is uncontrollable.
Unlike the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the quake narrowly avoided large cities and industrial centers. However, the earthquake hit an extremely vulnerable region of Japan, mostly consisting of rural fishing towns and small cities. This meant that the majority of the population was aging and physically unable to evacuate their homes. Although Japan utilizes an early-warning system that automatically alerts residents of an incoming earthquake and tsunami via television and radio, many simply did not have enough time to evacuate to a safe location. This problem carries over to the evacuation centers: The elderly are especially vulnerable to cold weather, and medical equipment as well as medication are lacking in most areas. With many of the roads inaccessible or blocked, relief efforts are stalling and not enough aid supplies are reaching evacuation centers. There is a desperate need for food, clean water, blankets, clothing and medical attention in regions near the epicenter.
Beyond Japan, this disaster has had consequences in affecting the global supply chain: The earthquake shut down several production facilities for firms such as Toyota, Honda and Sony, and ensuing rolling blackouts have made it difficult for functioning factories to operate at full capacity. According to The New York Times, General Motors is temporarily halting operations at its factory in Shreveport, La. due to a shortage of Japanese-made parts, and Hino Motors is experiencing similar difficulties in its Arkansas manufacturing plant. As the current stock of Japanese supplies runs out, the Tohoku earthquake could have a significant effect on our lives in the United States as well.
Closer to home, the ripples of the Tohoku earthquake were felt among several members of the Vassar community, including students, alumnae/i and faculty members. Assistant Professor of History Hiraku Shimoda '95 was in Tokyo when the quake struck. The Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development set up an online message board, where members were able to contact other members of the Vassar community and report their own safety. Many alumnae/i felt the earthquake hundreds of miles away from the epicenter in Tokyo, shaking buildings, starting fires and causing power outages. Former Vassar exchange students from Ochanomizu University, an all-female college, have also experienced the earthquake. Although the overall damage in Japan's capital was minimal, residents have had to deal with rolling blackouts, food shortages and increased risk of radiation exposure. The start of the baseball season has been delayed, and commencement ceremonies in several prominent universities have been cancelled. Even here, it will take significant time to restore the patterns of everyday life.
Immediately after the quake struck northeast Japan, numerous organizations have started collecting donations for the disaster. Although Japan is the world's third largest economy and has a developed infrastructure, the disaster obliterated entire cities, and the recovery process is only beginning. Many have been separated from their families, and there is a constant shortage of supplies. In the words of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, this is Japan's "worst crisis since World War II."
A small group of students, including myself, have organized a relief effort out of our deepest concern for the victims of the earthquake. When I experienced the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, I witnessed the brutal ability of an earthquake to instantly transform people's lives and engulf an entire nation in tragedy. Japan has a successful history of emerging from devastating crises, as shown by the incredible restoration of Kobe since the Hanshin earthquake. The struggle for recovery is expected to be tough, but I believe Sendai will follow a similar path. I've always been impressed by the Vassar community's willingness to reach out to victims of natural disasters, and it is our turn to step up and do what we can to help.
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