Japan's Environmental Changes

Japan’s Environmental Background

• Chain of 7,000 islands
• Goes from Siberia to Taiwan
• 80% mountains
• Get frequent earthquakes which are followed by tsunami
• Isolated
• Radioactive waste exists in power plants

Japan’s 2011 Disaster

• An earthquake hit, causing a tsunami of 30 meters high to follow and it hit 5 kilometers inland.
• Radioactive power plants were destroyed, causing the pollution of the water supply and natural environment. (between 80 to 200 million tons were released)

Reactions

• Although isolationist, Japan reached out to other countries for aid.
• Social programs provide relief for those overwhelmed with tragedies.
• Over time, the radioactive chemicals were able to be collected and the environment will be able to regrow and expand over a long period of many years.
• Although many species were lost along with human lives, Japan will recover from this natural disaster.