Country Profile
Population: 125.8 million
Major Threats: Typhoons, Floods, Landslides, Earthquakes, Tsunamis
Populations Affected: Urban & Rural Poor, Farmers, Coastal Communities
Locations Affected: All
Industries Affected: Agriculture, Fishing, Manufacturing
Compounding Issues: demographic trends, poverty in urban areas, supply chain, political instability
World Risk Index Ranking: 46
Global Climate Risk Index: 4 (2021)
Japan is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters because of its climate and topography, and it has experienced countless earthquakes, typhoons, and other types of disasters.
A number of factors contribute to the high incidence of natural disasters in Japan. First, the country is subject to extreme climatic variations, such as seasonal rain fronts and typhoons, as well as heavy snowfall on the Sea of Japan side of the archipelago. Second, Japan’s topography is rugged and there are many faults and steep inclines. Third, Japan is located in the Pacific earthquake belt and is frequently struck by earthquakes, while its complex coastline is vulnerable to tsunamis. And fourth, Japan is located in the circum-Pacific zone, in which almost all the volcanoes of the world are concentrated, and has 83 active volcanoes-one-tenth of the world total.
Since the archipelago is situated along the Ring of Fire, an area where several tectonic plates meet, it is vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Many people are reported missing or killed by natural disasters every year. Therefore, the Japanese government invests its disaster prevention budget in disaster prevention systems such as earthquake alert systems, emergency facilities, evacuation centers, as well as earthquake-resistant buildings, which are designed to move with the quake. Furthermore, participation in natural disaster drills is common and begins in kindergarten.
In recent years, typhoons accounted for the highest costs of damaged facilities. Typhoons regularly hit Japan and often cause heavy rain and floods. The tropical cyclones develop over the Pacific Ocean and are likely to approach the archipelago between July and October, during the peak of the typhoon season. Japan’s southernmost prefecture Okinawa gets hit regularly by typhoons, while the northernmost prefecture Hokkaido is the least affected area. Since the number of typhoons increased in recent years, the amount of damage caused by floods grew as well. In addition to intense volcanic activity, major earthquakes occur regularly, making the country vulnerable to tsunamis due to its oceanic setting.
The highest cost of damage caused by natural disasters was recorded in 2011, when the Great East Japan Earthquake, also referred to as Tohoku Earthquake, occurred. It was one of the strongest earthquakes worldwide according to measurements on the Richter scale. The damage caused by surging water from the resulting tsunami was more destructive than the earthquake itself, as it destroyed many Japanese cities and led to the death of over 15 thousand people. Furthermore, it caused a meltdown at three reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima Prefecture.
Since 1990, the Japanese economy has suffered from economic stagnation, and COVID-19 has worsened the situation. Japan’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is incomplete, and keeping it going will be critical. Supply chain issues, rising labor costs, and political issues have highlighted problems with Japan’s reliance on China as a base for its manufacturing investments. In addition, with a low birthrate and aging population, Japan’s social security system is under strain and is suffering from labor shortages.
While rising food and energy prices are a problem for every country, it’s even more severe for Japan, which is highly dependent on oil imports for its energy needs. High oil prices take a big chunk of household budgets, depressing further consumer spending, the primary factor behind the country’s three-decade-old stagnation. Nonetheless, overall inflation still remains low, verging on deflation. Consumer prices rose at an annual rate of 0.1% in October, the same as in September, and well below the 2% Bank of Japan target, which it has struggled to meet for years.
Being the fifth country around the world that emits the most carbon dioxide, Japan has pledged to be a carbon-neutral country by 2050. Prime Minister, Yoshihide Shuga, announced this goal during his first policy address to the Parliament in October 2020. Meanwhile, climate change has tremendously impacted Japan’s agriculture sector due to a significant increase in short-duration rainfall. It also triggered various landslides, floods, typhoons, and cyclones. Coral bleaching, caused by the rise in seawater temperature, is also seen in multiple parts of Japan’s coastal areas. In 2019, typhoon iHagibis, considered one of the strongest in 60 years, hit Japan, while not long before, the country was hit by Typhoon Faxai and severe heatwaves. According to the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index, Japan is the fourth most disaster-affected country in terms of fatalities and economic losses.
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