Job Discussion Forums

[flyingkiwi]

Has anyone ever wondered when the next big earthquake is coming? I heard stories of how the Kanto region has a major earthquake every 70-80 years of so. The last one was in 1923... We are due ladies and gentlemen...

Has anyone ever worried about earthquakes in Japan? Has anyone actually experienced earthquakes here?

I experienced my first ever earthquake in Japan, at night time. I have experienced two so far, all in the middle of the night, very small.

[gaijinalways]

All the time, there are over 1000 a year, but many of them are noticiable (though my cat gets annoyed).

I don't think about them, usually sleeping through the ones at night.

If you're worried about them, head to the airport now! I'll take care of your belongings, jut PM me and transfer some money, a few 100,000 will do .

[nonsmoker]

Have you guys ever experienced a really sizeable quake that had you scared a bit? What did you do? I remember I lived through a decent sized one when I was six. Scared the crap out of me although I do wonder how I would feel about it as an adult.

[Apsara]

I don't think there is a person living in Japan who hasn't thought about it. Here in Tokyo at least we get a smaller one every few weeks or so, and a fairly big one hits somewhere in Japan every year or so and is very well-covered by the media so it would pretty hard not to think about it.

A couple of summers ago we had Tokyo's biggest quake in 13 years which was quite a shake. Not much damage- in my apartment it just knocked a few bottles and jars over but the trains were stopped for hours. I was in a dance class on the 5th floor of a building and had to get the other students to move away from the large mirror they had all crouched down next to.

I also remember the three earthquakes that hit Niigata a few years ago- even in Tokyo we felt them and they are some of the strongest I remember- I was outside and the trees were shaking and bits of concrete were falling off a wall next to me.

I have started putting together a bag of stuff in case we survive the next big earthquake and have to evacuate, but it's far from complete. We are also planning to get bracing rods to stop our high bookcases falling on us while we are sleeping- will do that today- thanks for reminding me..

[TokyoLiz]

Like Apsara, I remember the Niigata quakes that we felt in Tokyo and Chiba. They were scary, but not because of the shaking around me, but because of the magnitude of shaking at a distance. You get a feeling somebody's having a really bad time somewhere far away.

Last Friday's mere high winds messed up the trains. I can't imagine what wil happen if tracks are deformed by a quake, and commuters have to walk across the city. Imagine how many overweight out of shape salarymen will die from just the walk....

I'm thinking, if a quake does happen, I'll likely be at work or on the trains. It's hard to prepare for all eventualities, but it's good to know what is recommended for survival.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government provides this manual - http://www.seikatubunka.metro.tokyo.jp/index3files/survivalmanual.pdf

[TK4Lakers]

I've asked my friends who were born and have been living in Tokyo about this. They say that earthquakes happen all the time, and nobody really worries about them. It seems like everyone is so busy all the time they don't really worry about this kind of stuff.

[jademonkey]

Here're some fun facts:
* Tokyo is on the convergence of 3 continental plates.
* Tokyo is known by seismologists as "the city waiting to die".
* The next big one is well overdue!

[Apsara]

Nobody worries too much about the smaller quakes in Tokyo- fact of life here. I have seen plenty of Tokyoites freaking out in the medium-sized ones though, and although most people aren't stressing about it daily, the big one is somewhere at the back of most people's minds I would say. If the big one does come, everyone will be scared while it's shaking- don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise!

[Eva Pilot]

There was a moderately sized quake when I had just arrived in Japan. All my colleagues the next morning were all talking about this earthquake.

I'd slept through it. I expect I'd sleep through anything rather than a cataclysmic quake.

[Quibby84]

I am more worried about Mt. Fuji "blowing it's cap", I had a daydream about it happening while I was climbing it..I couldnt think of any way to save myself......scary.....

[Apsara]

An earthquake is much more likely to get you than Mt. Fuji. If Mt. Fuji erupts it might cover a large area in ash but Ashikaga wouldn't see too much of it.

[Quibby84]

But what if I am climbing it???? haha..I worry to much...

[Apsara]

Yep, that would be really bad luck! Actually you are more likely to be struck by lightning and killed while climbing Mt. Fuji though- that actually happens to one or two people every year I believe. There was a lightning storm going on not too far away when I last climbed it and I was freaking out about that.

[bshabu]

Volcanoes erupting are easier to predict than earthquakes. So hopefully the wont let anyone climb it if its about to spew hot molten rock and toxic gas.

[Quibby84]

thanks guys....I will now climb....lol...wait...maybe not...getting struck by lighting would be pretty awful....