Japan's Ring of Fire Problem

Japan is a country located in a highly seismically active region known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. This geological phenomenon, characterized by tectonic plate boundaries and associated volcanic activity, plays a significant role in causing natural disasters in Japan. The natural disasters that are caused by the Ring of Fire that affect Japan are earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

Earthquakes

One of the most prevalent and devastating consequences of Japan's location along the Ring of Fire is the frequent occurrence of earthquakes. Earthquakes occur approximately 1500 times a year (Israel). These earthquakes can be small and unnoticed while some can be life threatening with mass destruction. For example a “6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Kobe in 1995, killing more than 6,000 people” (Israel). To understand why Japan has so many earthquakes we must look to the main source itself, the Ring of Fire. Japan sits on top of four tectonic plates, which are slabs of rock that divide earth's crust. When the tectonic plates rub against each other, known as convergent plate boundaries, they cause earthquakes. 

Tsunamis

The subduction zones, when one plate goes beneath another, along Japan's coastline, caused by the Ring of Fire, are also responsible for triggering tsunamis. Tsunamis are waves in a body of water caused by the displacement of a large volume of water. Japan has been a nation that has dealt with natural disasters since the beginning but tsunamis in recent history have caused so much damage and taken thousands of peoples lives in an instant. In the northern east coast of Japan, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake caused a 33 ft tsunami wave that took the lives of nearly 20,000 people and approximately 130,000 of Japan’s citizens were left without a home (OUPblog). 

Volcanic Eruptions

Japan is home to numerous active volcanoes, and this volcanic activity is a direct result of its location on the Ring of Fire. In the Ring of Fire, seventy-five percent of the world's active volcanoes (National Geographic). Subduction zones and the presence of magma chambers beneath the Earth's surface contribute to periodic volcanic eruptions. These eruptions can impact both local communities and air travel due to ash clouds. One of Japan's biggest attractions, Mount Fuji is also the country's largest volcano which last erupted in 1707 (National Geographic). Volcanoes are dangerous and oftentimes happen without warning. In September of 2014, Mount Ontake “killed an estimated 63 hikers in what became the country’s most deadly eruption in nearly 90 years” (Cook). It was of a relatively small size yet took many lives.

My Thoughts

From my perspective Japan's location along the Ring of Fire exposes it to a multitude of natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.. These events are a direct consequence of the complex geological dynamics at play in this region. In my opinion I find it quite fascinating that the Japanese people with what seems to be mother nature's wrath on the country still manages to keep prevailing. This can be attributed to Japan's appreciation for nature and how this also influences their culture.

Work Cited

Cook, Terri. “What Caused the Fatal 2014 Eruption of Japan’s Mount Ontake? - Eos.” Eos, 17 Mar. 2017,  https://eos.org/research-spotlights/what-caused-the-fatal-2014-eruption-of-japans-mount-ontake .  

Israel, Brett. “Japan’s Explosive Geology Explained.” Live Science, Live Science, 14 Mar. 2011,  www.livescience.com/30226-japan-tectonics-explosive-geology-ring-of-fire-110314.html  

National Geographic. “Plate Tectonics and the Ring of Fire | National Geographic Society.” Education.nationalgeographic.org, 1 Mar. 2023,  https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/plate-tectonics-ring-fire/  

OUPblog. “Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster Strike Japan.” OUPblog, 11 Mar. 2012,  https://blog.oup.com/2012/03/earthquake-tsunami-nuclear-disaster-japan/ .