Has Japan Learned from Fukushima Disaster?

Has Japan Learned from Fukushima Disaster?

There is a great deal to remember this week, the one year anniversary of the devastating Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis. Few events in recent history have combined to such an intense degree natural disaster, technological failure, humanitarian relief, and government scrutiny. 

 

It is proper above all to memorialize the 20,000 dead and missing, the majority of whom were swept away by torrential waters before finding safety. Yet it is also a time to question what Japan and the world has learned from the catastrophe, and how both have changed, if at all. The answer remains unclear, but there seems to be less evidence that any enduring changes have taken place.

 

The human toll of the Tohoku earthquake remains staggering. Although not the world’s most deadly natural disaster, the sheer scale of destruction was nearly unprecedented. Hundreds of miles of coastline were inundated, entire villages washed away. Video of burning wreckage floating on waves of roiling water brought to mind biblical visions of rivers of fire. When news crews reached some of the most affected areas, the scenes were nothing short of apocalyptic.

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