japan case study geography

Case Study: How does Japan live with earthquakes?

Japan lies within one of the most tectonically active zones in the world. It experiences over 400 earthquakes every day. The majority of these are not felt by humans and are only detected by instruments. Japan has been hit by a number of high-intensity earthquakes in the past. Since 2000 there are have been 16000 fatalities as the result of tectonic activity.

Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the North American, Pacific, Eurasian and Philippine plates come together. Northern Japan is on top of the western tip of the North American plate. Southern Japan sits mostly above the Eurasian plate. This leads to the formation of volcanoes such as Mount Unzen and Mount Fuji. Movements along these plate boundaries also present the risk of tsunamis to the island nation. The Pacific Coastal zone, on the east coast of Japan, is particularly vulnerable as it is very densely populated.

The 2011 Japan Earthquake: Tōhoku

Japan experienced one of its largest seismic events on March 11 2011. A magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred 70km off the coast of the northern island of Honshu where the Pacific and North American plate meet. It is the largest recorded earthquake to hit Japan and is in the top five in the world since records began in 1900. The earthquake lasted for six minutes.

A map to show the location of the 2011 Japan Earthquake

The earthquake had a significant impact on the area. The force of the megathrust earthquake caused the island of Honshu to move east 2.4m. Parts of the Japanese coastline dr[[ed by 60cm. The seabed close to the focus of the earthquake rose by 7m and moved westwards between 40-50m. In addition to this, the earthquake shifted the Earth 10-15cm on its axis.

The earthquake triggered a tsunami which reached heights of 40m when it reached the coast. The tsunami wave reached 10km inland in some places.

What were the social impacts of the Japanese earthquake in 2011?

The tsunami in 2011 claimed the lives of 15,853 people and injured 6023. The majority of the victims were over the age of 60 (66%). 90% of the deaths was caused by drowning. The remaining 10% died as the result of being crushed in buildings or being burnt. 3282 people were reported missing, presumed dead.

Disposing of dead bodies proved to be very challenging because of the destruction to crematoriums, morgues and the power infrastructure. As the result of this many bodies were buried in mass graves to reduce the risk of disease spreading.

Many people were displaced as the result of the tsunami. According to Save the Children 100,000 children were separated from their families. The main reason for this was that children were at school when the earthquake struck. In one elementary school, 74 of 108 students and 10 out of 13 staff lost their lives.

More than 333000 people had to live in temporary accommodation. National Police Agency of Japan figures shows almost 300,000 buildings were destroyed and a further one million damaged, either by the quake, tsunami or resulting fires. Almost 4,000 roads, 78 bridges and 29 railways were also affected. Reconstruction is still taking place today. Some communities have had to be relocated from their original settlements.

What were the economic impacts of the Japanese earthquake in 2011?

The estimated cost of the earthquake, including reconstruction, is £181 billion. Japanese authorities estimate 25 million tonnes of debris were generated in the three worst-affected prefectures (counties). This is significantly more than the amount of debris created during the 2010 Haiti earthquake. 47,700 buildings were destroyed and 143,300 were damaged. 230,000 vehicles were destroyed or damaged. Four ports were destroyed and a further 11 were affected in the northeast of Japan.

There was a significant impact on power supplies in Japan. 4.4 million households and businesses lost electricity. 11 nuclear reactors were shut down when the earthquake occurred. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was decommissioned because all six of its reactors were severely damaged. Seawater disabled the plant’s cooling systems which caused the reactor cores to meltdown, leading to the release of radioactivity. Radioactive material continues to be released by the plant and vegetation and soil within the 30km evacuation zone is contaminated. Power cuts continued for several weeks after the earthquake and tsunami. Often, these lasted between 3-4 hours at a time. The earthquake also had a negative impact on the oil industry as two refineries were set on fire during the earthquake.

Transport was also negatively affected by the earthquake. Twenty-three train stations were swept away and others experienced damage. Many road bridges were damaged or destroyed.

Agriculture was affected as salt water contaminated soil and made it impossible to grow crops.

The stock market crashed and had a negative impact on companies such as Sony and Toyota as the cost of the earthquake was realised.  Production was reduced due to power cuts and assembly of goods, such as cars overseas, were affected by the disruption in the supply of parts from Japan.

What were the political impacts of the Japanese earthquake in 2011?

Government debt was increased when it injects billions of yen into the economy. This was at a time when the government were attempting to reduce the national debt.

Several years before the disaster warnings had been made about the poor defences that existed at nuclear power plants in the event of a tsunami. A number of executives at the Fukushima power plant resigned in the aftermath of the disaster. A movement against nuclear power, which Japan heavily relies on, developed following the tsunami.

The disaster at Fukushima added political weight in European countries were anti-nuclear bodies used the event to reinforce their arguments against nuclear power.

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Earthquakes and tsunami – WJEC Case study: Japan tsunami 2011 (HIC)

Earthquakes are caused by the release of built-up pressure at plate boundaries. They can destroy buildings and infrastructure. Tsunami can also occur, with equally devastating and deadly effects.

Part of Geography Tectonic landscapes and hazards

Case study: Japan tsunami 2011 (HIC)

On Friday 11 March 2011 at 14:46:24, an earthquake of magnitude nine on the Richter scale close Richter scale The measure by which the strength of earthquakes is determined. occurred. It was at the point where the Pacific tectonic plate slides beneath the North American plate. The epicentre close epicentre The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake. was 30 kilometres below the Pacific Ocean seabed and 129 kilometres off the east coast of Honshu, Japan. This triggered a tsunami. High, powerful waves were generated and travelled across the Pacific Ocean. The area worst affected by the tsunami was the east coast of Honshu in Japan.

Main impacts

Infrastructure.

• The waves travelled as far as ten kilometres inland in Sendai.
• Ports and airports in Sendai were damaged and closed.
• The waves destroyed protective tsunami seawalls at several locations.
• The massive surge destroyed three-storey buildings where people had gathered for safety.
• A state of emergency was declared at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, where a cooling system failed and released radioactive materials into the environment.
• In July 2013, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), admitted that about 300 tons of radioactive water continued to leak from the plant every day into the Pacific Ocean.

Social and economic

• Four years after the quake, around 230,000 people who lost their homes were still living in temporary housing.
• The total damages from the earthquake and tsunami are estimated at $300 billion (about 25 trillion yen).
• The number of confirmed deaths as of 10 April 2015 is 15,891. More than 2,500 people are still reported missing.

Responses to build capacity to reduce the risk

• The country unveiled a newly-installed, upgraded tsunami warning system in 2013.
• Earthquake engineers examined the damage, looking for ways to construct buildings that are more resistant to earthquakes and tsunamis. Studies are ongoing.

More guides on this topic

• Plate tectonic theory – WJEC
• Volcanoes – WJEC
• Reducing the impacts of natural hazards – WJEC

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Japan: The Perfect Geography Case Study

We pride ourselves on tailoring our educational tours to the needs of each group that travels with us. paramount to a successful school trip are the learning outcomes which teachers can hope to achieve when bringing a group of students to study in the field and in a new context. in this post we focus on japan’s relevance as a destination for geography students, particularly for those who have reached key stages 4 and 5. we have picked out some of the topics that come up in the geography gcse and a-level syllabuses, for which japan makes an ideal case study., tropical storms.

Between May and October, Japan experiences a Typhoon Season with, on average, around ten tropical cyclones striking the Japanese mainland and Okinawan Islands per year. While the Japanese have become used to these annual weather events, they do cause a fair amount of disruption, particularly to the country’s transport systems.

Key questions for students

• How do tropical storms affect the people and environment in Japan?
• As an HIC, how is Japan better equipped to respond to typhoons than an LIC?
• What are the weather conditions that lead to Japan experiencing typhoons?

Coastal Management Strategies

As a country prone to earthquakes and tsunamis, Japan’s coastal engineering schemes are longstanding and extensive. In the wake of the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake, in which 60% of the seawalls protecting the affected region’s coastline were destroyed, the Japanese government is being forced to reconsider its management of the coastline. 56% of Honshu’s (Japan’s main island) coastline has been engineered and the heavy use of concrete in these projects has been criticised by environmentalists and local citizens.

Discover the power of water in our Mount Fuji and Hydropower extension.

• What effects are coastal management projects having on the environment in Japan?
• How could the Japanese government more effectively manage its coastline?

Earthquakes and tsunamis

As many as 1500 earthquakes occur in Japan each year and 10% of the world’s active volcanoes are located there. The Japanese archipelago lies on top of, or close to, the boundaries of the North American, Pacific, Eurasian and Philippine plates, hence the large amount of seismic activity it experiences. The margin between the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Plate is what is known as a destructive plate margin – meaning that one plate is being pushed under the other. Major earthquakes – which can sometimes trigger tsunamis – are rare, although minor tremors happen somewhere in the country on most days,

Learn about earthquakes and disasters on our Disaster Relief educational tour in Japan .

• Which safety measures have the Japanese government instated to try and protect its citizens?
• Which factors contribute to the likelihood of an earthquake triggering a tsunami?
• How do destructive plate margins lead to the formation of volcanoes?

Urbanisation and rural depopulation

The Tokyo Metropolitan Area is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and can be classed as a megacity – meaning a city with a population of over 10 million. Japan has experienced dramatic rural to urban migration, caused by the push and pull factors that influence people to migrate to cities. In the Japanese countryside, there exist a growing number of so-called ghost villages – towns or villages with drastically declining populations.

• What are some of the push factors that lead people in Japan to leave rural areas?
• What are some of the pull factors that lead people in Japan to migrate to urban areas?
• Japan – like the UK – has an ageing population – how is the Japanese government working to solve this issue?

Japan’s fascinating geography is just one of the ways a school trip could benefit your students .

Like what you see? Check out our school trips in Japan . For more information on how The Learning Adventure can meet your specific educational requirements, get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling our London office on +44 (0)20 3817 5974.

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Join get revising, already a member, japan - population case study.

• Case studies
• Created by: IssyCalderwood
• Created on: 12-03-19 17:47
• Children after marriage
• Take care of elderly
• Traditional & paternalistic, however, women in the workforce increased = population decreased
• World population rank: 10th
• Population growth rate: 0.7%
• Life expectancy: 84 y/o
• Birth rate: 7.9/1000
• Death rate : 10.2/1000
• Fertility rate: 1.46
• Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 males/females
• Largest ethnicity: Japaese
• Largest city: Tokyo
• Population: 126,670,000
• Density: 336.33 people/km2
• Land use: 75% mountains, 68% forest, 90.7% people live in cities
• 6,800 islands = 97% people on largest 4
• Estimated to decrease to 108mil by 2050
• 93.5% pop. in urban areas = dense
• Overcome mountainous areas by terracing
• North = temperate
• South = tropical
• Japanese summers = rain & typhoons
• Tokyo pop. dense = 6158 people/km2
• Mountainous regions = 100 people/km2
• Winter = mild, Summer = hot
• Japan= 40th most dense pop. country in world
• Dependency ratio: 67.47%
• Good healthcare, sanitation & living standards
• 10.2% GDP spent on healthcare 2013
• Low fat diets = lower obesity and heart disease problems
• Nuclear & hydroelectric power = cleaner air
• Contraception = accessible= decreasing fertility rates
• School = expensive = couples have less children
• No children before marriage = marriage is decreasing = less children
• 62% women not married, 72% men not married
• Women more equal = focused on careers = fewer children
• Due to globalisation, secondary sector still very successful= more revenue brought in to support economy
• Less pressure on schools
• Increased demand for elderly leisure activities elderly = jobs created
• New robot technology to assist the elderly
• Need 650,000 immigrants/year
• 25% budget on pensions & social security
• Economic growth hindered because demographic debt
• 40% Public spending on elderly
• Pressure on care workers = more workers
• 3.8mil elderly live alone w/ no family support
• Rising number of dementia
• Less tax paid to cover pensions
• Major industries may need to outsource to replace workers
• Lack of workers to keep economy afloat
• "Angel Plan", 2000, increase birth rate by free child care + better working hours for women
• Encouraged immigration of skilled workers - 2.2 mil Japans pop = immigrants
• 'Womenomics' - pressure on companies to hire more women + give moe leadership roles
• Government raised retirement age to 70 (men & women)
• Government raised consumption tax from 5% to 10% to fund pensions, intend to raise another 5% in 2015
• Government encourage speed dating
• Fill the population void with robots
• 98.5%  Japanese natives
• Most of 1.5% come from China = 653,00
• By 2050 median age = 53.2
• Income = $48,324

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ReviseSociology

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Japan’s Declining and Ageing Population

Table of Contents

Last year Japan’s population declined by 300, 000, to 126 million, and and its population is predicted to decline to 87 million by 2040.

Japan also has an ‘ageing population’ – it is already one of the world’s oldest nations, which a median age of 46, and its predicted that by 2040 there will be three senior citizens for every child under 15, the opposite of the situation in 1975.

This is an interesting case study relevant to the ‘ ageing population ‘ topic within A-level sociology’s families and household’s option (AQA 7192/2).

Why is this happening?

Excluding Monaco, Japan has the highest life expectancy of any country in the world – 83.7, and a very low fertility rate of 1.45. However, these figures are not too dissimilar from some European countries, so what really explains Japan’s declining population is it low immigration rate – only 1.8% of Japanese are foreign, compared to 8.6% in the UK for example!

What will the consequences be:

Nicholas Eberstadt argues that we already seeing some of the consequences:

• Labour shortages, especially in care work, hospitality, construction and agriculture.
• 400 school closures a year.
• The emergence of ‘ghost towns’ as the population decreases
• Increased burden on elderly welfare – by 2060 36% of its population will be 65 or older.

Eberstadt suggests that Japan’s future has only been imagined in Science Fiction (perhaps Kim Stanley Robinson can offer some help?).

Why is the Fertility Rate so Low?

It’s basically a combination of two factors:

• Economic problems – 50% of the population are in precarious jobs, and economic insecurity is a key reason for not having children. Also, if couples were in a position to have children childcare is too expensive for both partners to remain in work, so this may scupper the desires of even those in permanent jobs!
• Traditional gender values remain intact – Japan is the 114th most gender unequal country in the world – traditional and patriarchal values remain in-tact – women don’t want children out of wedlock or with men with no economic prospects – which is about half of all men in Japan!

Why is Migration so Low?

Japan is geographically remote and culturally homogeneous. Japan has long discouraged immigration – they see it as a threat to Japans’s culture and low crime rate – in fact they point to migration across Europe as an example of its negative impacts.

How is the government going to tackle the crisis?

There are a range of measures…

• Government sponsored ‘speed dating’ services.
• By providing longer maternity leave and childcare
• To offset the shrinking labour force through a ‘robot revolution’.

Is there an Upside?

Well, there’s more land per head, and because Japan is the first to transition into what will likely become a global trend, it’s an opportunity for it to become a world leader in technologies that can assist an ageing population.

Adapted from The Week 2nd December 2017.

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A country with a low rate of population growth or decline - Japan

A country with a low rate of population growth or decline – Japan

According to the World Bank, the population of Japan as of 2018 is at 126.5 million, including foreign residents. The population of only Japanese nationals was 124.8 million in January 2019.

Japan was the world’s tenth-most populous country as of 2018. Total population had declined by 0.8 per cent from the time of the census five years previously, the first time it had declined since the 1945 census.

Since 2010, Japan has experienced net population loss due to falling birth rates and minimal immigration, despite having one of the highest life expectancies in the world, at 85.00 years as of 2016 (it stood at 81.25 as of 2006). Using the annual estimate for October of each year, the population peaked in 2009 at 128,570,000.

Why is Japan’s population declining?

Fewer women in Japan are having babies, leading to a reduction in birth rates. There are a number of reasons for this:

• Many Japanese women work in high-tech industries
• Their careers may be affected by being a mother
• Children are becoming increasingly expensive due to increased childcare costs
• Couples and women can afford a better standard of living if they have fewer children to support
• People are putting off having children until later in life to focus on careers and enjoy a better standard of living

Significant improvements in Japan’s health care have led to people living much longer than before. However, despite this, death rates are increasing.

As you can see from the graph above, death rates in Japan are increasing. Despite improvements in medical care, Japan has an ageing population which has resulted in an increased death rate . As death rates are now higher than birth rates, the population is in decline.

What are the consequences of Japan’s ageing and declining population?

Japan’s declining population will result in a shortage of workers in the future. This will lead to reduced economic growth and the closure of some services. Industrial development may also reduce as there are fewer people available to innovate in the country’s high-tech sector.

There will also be a higher dependency ration, which means there will be fewer young people to support the ageing population. This will lead to younger people paying higher taxes to support the elderly population.

Some post-industrial towns will become derelict due there not being enough workers to support some industries.

What is being done to tackle Japan’s declining population?

Japan needs to incentivise having children and will need to attract migrants in the future. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to prevent the population from dropping below 100 million by 2060. In 2017, the government announced a 2 trillion yen ($18 billion) spending package to expand free preschool for children aged 3 to 5 — and for children aged 2 and under from low-income families — and cut waiting times at daycare centres.

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