Evaluate the effectiveness of the methods of response to a tectonic hazard in a named developed country (8)

In the Tohoku 2011 tectonic mega-disaster in Japan, there were numerous effective response methods. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System alerted the Japanese government within nine minutes of the earthquake occurring. A corresponding text message was sent out to Japanese citizens, giving them an estimated 15 minutes to get to safety on higher ground, limiting the loss of life significantly. Furthermore, 25,000 billion yen has been dedicated to the reconstruction efforts caused by the earthquake to help repair the 130,000 destroyed buildings and the 145,000 that had been damaged. This money has also been highly effective in mitigating against another devastating tsunami through building 245 miles of seawall as part of the 'build back better' Park's model line of response. On the other hand, there were some failures in Japan's response to Tohoku. In particular the failure of the Japanese government to account for their elderly population meant that many were left stranded and unable to reach areas of safety and shelter within the 15 minute period. This resulted in 56.7% of the death toll being over the age of 65. Those within care homes particularly struggled to ensure that all residents reached safety before the tsunami hit. Another area of failure was the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown. The power plant's coastal location meant it was struck by the tsunami resulting in a level 7 nuclear meltdown. Despite a good immediate response including shutting down all Japanese reactors and sourcing alternative energy sources quickly, major issues have occurred in the recovering of the Fukushima fishing industry. The government has failed in changing public perception of Fukushima fish products both domestically and internationally. 24 countries still have a ban imposed on products from Fukushima and the once thriving fishermen now only go out to sea two times a week. Such bans and failure to change perception has resulted in an economic downturn for the Fukushima region.