JAPAN'S 03/11/2011 EARTHQUAKE
Abel
somewhere in the Pacific Ocean lies a series of about 6,900 islands
that make up what is known as Japan, aka "Land of the Rising Sun".
Japan has the world's tenth-largest population, with over 130 million
people. Japan's de facto capital city of Tokyo (and surrounding
suburbs) make up what is the largest and most populated metropolitan
area in the world, with well over 30 million residents.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_Metropolitan_Area
In 1947, following its defeat at the end of the 2nd World War, Japan
developed a constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected
parliament called the Diet.
Japan has the world's third-largest economy, next to America and
China. Although, on a per capita basis, Japan's economic strength is
second to none. Japan has officially renounced its right to declare
war, it maintains an extensive modern military force in self-defense
and peacekeeping roles. Japan has the second lowest homicide rate in
the world (including attempted homicide). Japan also has one of the
best government run health care systems in the world, with the result
being that the Japanese people have THE highest life expectancy of any
country in the world and also Japan has the third lowest infant
mortality rate in the world (according to UN and WHO
estimates).
Japan is used to earthquakes, they've had many in their history. In
1923, the 8.3 scale "Great Kanto Earthquake" struck Tokyo and killed
some 140,000 people. And in 1995, the 7.2 scale "Kobe Earthquake"
killed some 6,000 people. But long time residents of Japan and inside
Tokyo say that this latest earthquake was the most horrifying, and
that they have never felt anything as powerful as the one that struck
them today, on March 11, 2011.
The earthquake that struck Japan today is an 8.9 scale earthquake,
which makes it the most powerful earthquake in all of Japan's history,
it is also the 5th most powerful earthquake in all of world history.
The death toll is expected to be in the low thousands, which is
relatively low, when you consider the ferocity of this earthquake, but
that's because the earthquake's epicenter was actually 80 miles off
shore, however, there has already been about a hundred after shocks,
felt thru out Japan. This powerful earthquake has also triggered a
powerful 25 foot high tsunami, which has hit Japan's eastern coast
traveling at hundreds of miles an hour, resulting in massive flood
damage.
About a dozen nuclear power plants were damaged by this massive
earthquake, in a country that relies very heavily on nuclear power.
Some experts fear that the oncoming nuclear catastrophe to be
uncovered could end up being worse than the Chernobyl nuclear
catastrophe of 25 years ago.
Meanwhile, power is out in much of Japan, as millions remain stranded,
because the subway system has just plain stopped working, especially
in Japan's largest cities, such as Tokyo. The telephone landlines and
cell phones have been largely knocked out, making it very difficult
for families and friends to communicate with each other at a time when
such communication is vital. But amazingly enough, Facebook and
Twitter still work, and they are presently the most reliable form of
communication in Japan. The property damage could easily climb in the
hundreds of billions of dollars.
Tokyo’s main airport (Narita) has been almost completely shut down.
The railways and highways to and from the airport are also not
operating. The Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) has also
almost completely shut down. There are around 13,000 travelers
stranded at Narita Airport and 10,000 travelers stranded at Tokyo
International.
Sendai airport has been reported to be partially underwater with
employees taking refuge on the airport’s roof.
Japan's economy was already reeling from a worsening world wide
economic picture, and this earthquake calamity is bound to make things
worse, not only for Japan, but also for the United States, whose
economy is very closely intertwined with Japan. Part of the reason for
increasing energy costs in America, is because rising power houses
such as Japan, China, India and Brazil have been using up much of the
world's oil. Expect Japan to rely even more on oil than it has in the
past, therefore creating more of an energy shortage and driving up the
price of oil even higher for everyone else.
A. M.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20042246-503543.html