Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) every year natural disasters kill around 90.000 people and effect close to 160 million people worldwide.
Japan is one of the countries most affected by tsunamis, floods, typhoons, earthquakes and volcano eruptions. Landslides, hurricanes, wildfires, heat waves and droughts are not so often, but they come under the umbrella of natural disasters. The country was certainly the host of the most expensive natural disasters that have happened in the last century.
Based on the title of this article I could be focusing on one of the problems Japan is confronted today. Beside economy problems and economic stagnation, Japan is facing an aging society and low birth rate, global warming, waste management challenges, public opposing to nuclear power since the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant four years ago, radioactive waste, excessive fishery and whaling, electronic waste management, poverty rate increase, record high number of child abuses, unresolved international disputes with Russia over the Kuril Islands, and South Korea sour relations caused because of Liancourt Rocks and the Japanese-administered Senkaku islands claimed also by China and Taiwan. All in all my focus will be on natural disasters.
From the graph made by an International Disaster Database showed below, we can see that the number of reported natural disasters has grown. The reason for that is also more reporting not just growing numbers of natural disasters around the world. Though it is true that damages and expenditure for prevention and restoration is growing worldwide and consequences are greater on economic scale loss.
Total number of reported Natural disasters between 1900 and 2015 worldwide
Between 1900 and 2015 floods, droughts and epidemics are responsible for most deaths caused by natural disasters. The worldwide total number of deaths reported by natural disasters has decreased. Since 1900 till this year storms were the most frequent disasters subtype in Japan and had occurred 125 times. Today the country is facing Typhoon that has so far made thousands to flee because of floods and strong winds. The reports have shown many injured and some dead. The International Disaster Database for Japan shows that earthquake has done the most damage in US dollars from the year 1900 forward. Also the highest number of total deaths was caused by earthquake disaster type, including tsunamis and ground movement. Japan is home to many dormant and some active volcanoes. Based on The World Factbook about 1.500 seismic occurrences happen every year in the Eastern Asia country. The highest number of total affected in last 100 years was in Japan caused by the epidemic. Worldwide picture of reported losses from 1990 to 2014 shows that the most frequent are storms (55.4%); following are earthquakes (17.6) and on the third place are floods (12.8%). Mortality was the highest in the case of earthquakes as was the highest economic loss.
Natural disasters in Japan from year 1900 to 2015
Source: International Disaster Database.
Japan ranks high also in INFORM index, which measures the risk of humanitarian crises and disasters in an indicator of natural risks with 8.44 points out of 10. To make a comparison only Bangladesh, Myanmar and Philippines were ranked higher. Japan is on the fourth place out of 191 countries in a mentioned indicator. Tsunamis and earthquakes represent the biggest hazards, following are floods and cyclones.
Quick national disaster response, government preparedness, a comprehensive social protection mechanism in place and implementation of plans is the reason for many saved lives so far. Japan has a reputation of being the most well prepared nation to face tsunamis and earthquakes. The population is also well informed and educated to know how to act in a case of natural disasters. Unfortunately, victims, affected and injured are normal in such events, but let’s hope than this number will decrease in the future.