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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND
"Every four to six hours, new things happen. And it is difficult job. On the third day, March 15th, I cried. I cried three times there. And honestly, I became panicked. The situation is we do not have water, food, gasoline, and information. The information is limited. The information is not appropriately provided." 2
- Takashi Nagata
"The kind of privations people can endure in these settings where there are many survivors but the relief hasn't come yet, would be a week, two weeks." 10
- Jennifer Leaning
"Certainly, there is enough food; there is enough water; there is enough blankets; there is enough shelter or shelter materials in the region to supply these people that are displaced. It’s just getting them there and providing the logistical support to do so." 3
- Michael VanRooyen
"The onsite emergency response challenge is to take actions that involve very high worker exposure. And often, they’re ad hoc. They’re jerry-rigged solutions, made up on the spot. Clearly, if you have fire trucks and skid-mounted diesel pumps and hoses, you are in an operating environment that was never contemplated. There was never any rehearsal for it." 8
- Gordon Thompson
"This is a terrible set of tragedies that would challenge any government and any people in the world. And, to the people of Japan, and to the government of Japan, we really send our deeply heart-felt sympathy to everything that is going on there. And, at the same time, we are here, ready to provide whatever assistance might be asked for. And that’s at the technical level, at the social level, at the personal level." 10
- Michael Reich
On Friday, March 11, 2011, a catastrophic earthquake resulted in a tsunami engulfing parts of Japan's coastline. A state of emergency was declared at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which subsequently experienced multiple explosions, a fire, and radiation releases. Two weeks after the earthquake, more than 10,000 people were confirmed dead, and more than 17,400 people were missing. Large numbers of people had been evacuated among dire reports of a lack of water and food. The combination of crises is unprecedented. This Forum event examined the "Response to the Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Crises in Japan: Disaster Leadership in Action."
[Editor’s Note: The information presented by the Expert Participants at The Forum event was current as of March 16, 2011.]
Background
- Japan -- Earthquake and Tsunami (2011)
- The New York Times
- Japan's Nuclear Power Plant Crisis: Some Context
- By Harvard Kennedy School Associate Professor Matthew Bunn
- A Quake Data Clearinghouse
- Harvard Gazette
Photo © AP Photo/Kyodo News
I go to your video and watch full story of Japan tsunami, On Friday, March 11, 2011 at 2:46 pm, a 9.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan. This lead to a chain reaction of events leading to a tsunami, and a nuclear disaster as one of Japan's power stations leaked radiation. What are the global effects of these three disasters?
1. Higher Energy Prices
Energy prices are soaring because of the fear that the current unrest in the Middle East is affecting the global supply of oil. The disaster in the Fukusima power station highlights the need for Japan to now import traditional energy sources to replace any energy produced through its nuclear facilities- which will add to more demand for natural gas, and oil.
2. Infrastructural Renewal Projects
Both the earthquake and the tsunami have badly damaged much of Japan's infrastructure. Obviously a rebuilding phase would mean a government with a high debt problem, would have to invest in the reconstruction of those areas affected by this triple disaster. This could become the responsibility of the corporate sector, who dominate Japan's economy.
3. Banking and Insurance Losses
Whether Insurance companies pay out billions of dollars of claims due to the the earthquake and tsunami, remains to be seen, but the "man-made" nuclear disaster could become their liability. Japan's global banking and insurance industries may be forced to reinvest at home, depleting any global investments outside the nation.
4. Change of Government?
Before these three disasters, ordinary Japanese had lost their confidence in another scandal hit government. How the government reaction to these three disasters, and the subsequent rebuilding process, could change the public perceptions of their leaders- but in the long term, we could see more changes inside the top echelon of the Japanese government.
5. Environmental Perceptions
After the nuclear disaster in Fukusima, many people are questioning the wisdom of building nuclear energy plants in a quake zone. Depending on the radiation levels, and the area contaminated, a worldwide reaction to the use of nuclear energy could result in the ending of the Obama nuclear energy program in the USA, and even France's ambitious energy program.
6. Money Markets
Japan remains the worlds third largest economy, but also like the United States, one of its biggest debtors. The value of the yen could fall, as banks spend on reconstruction projects, whilst the Government may be forced to raise taxes to pay for them. Some large Japanese corporations may cancel or put on hold overseas projects, re-investing these funds in rebuilding the areas affected by the earthquake.
7. Asian-Pacific Growth
China has the money and the economy in this region, but Japan is a second player in economic terms. Japanese companies invest in much of South East and North Asia, whilst the government often sponsor education & training programs in the region. Japan's contributions in the area, could shrink, leading to some fears of reduced growth.
The natural disasters of the earthquake and tsunami, have led to the man made nuclear disaster, and destruction of part of a high tech nation.. Japanese are resilient, inventive and industrious people, and should overcome the hurdles of reconstruction. However this does have a short term effect on the global economy, and a long term effect on the future of the nuclear power industry.