Japan fearful of re-energized "Ring of Fire"

October 20, 1995
Web posted at: 8:40 p.m. EDT (0040 GMT)

From Tokyo Bureau Chief John Lewis

TOKYO (CNN) -- The Pacific's "Ring of Fire" has apparently started heating up lately. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are taking place in many of the countries on the Pacific Rim. This has become increasingly evident in Japan over the past few weeks.

Japan has learned to live with the continued threat of earthquakes. It's had to, given its location on the so-called Pacific Rim of Fire, where most of the world's active volcanoes are located. But when bulletins cross TV screens nationwide, their effect is no less chilling.

This fear of the earth shaking beneath their feet is well-founded. "Five big earthquakes with a magnitude more than 7.5 took place successively within only three years. It's quite an unusual situation. The Japanese islands are now entering into a very unusual active period of seismic activity," said Prof. Megumi Mizoue of Tokyo University.

Only 10 months ago the major port city of Kobe was all but flattened by a massive quake. That one claimed over 5,000 lives and shook the already unsteady Japanese economy to its roots.

Over the past month, the Izu Peninsula area, southwest of Tokyo, has been the site of over 10,000 recorded earthquakes.

Last week, a volcano on the southwestern-most main island of Kyushu finally woke up after over 250 years of slumber. Upon awakening it spewed ash, rock, lava -- and concern. This past week, the small southern island of Amami-Oshima has grabbed attention as the site of numerous off-shore quakes, some with magnitude readings of 6 and over, accompanied by the fears of resulting tsunami.

Does all of this seismic activity precede the long predicted, some say long-overdue, second great Kanto earthquake? The first, in 1923 flattened the Japanese capital, claiming over 140,000 lives.

The experts are divided, but the non-experts are fearful.

"Earthquakes can happen anywhere. Since there was so much damage in Kobe earlier this year, there would be even more in Tokyo. That's what I'm afraid of."

"If there is a big earthquake here, there will be nothing left. I will probably die."

-- Two residents of Tokyo

Tokyo is a congested concrete jungle of elevated roadways, tall buildings adorned with countless overhanging signs, and underground railways. A major quake here could turn those fears into reality.

Related sites

Hyougo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) Quake Facts from the UC-Davis Geology department.

Japan fearful of re-energized "Ring of Fire"

"Earthquakes can happen anywhere. Since there was so much damage in Kobe earlier this year, there would be even more in Tokyo. That's what I'm afraid of."

"If there is a big earthquake here, there will be nothing left. I will probably die."

Related sites

| CONTENTS | SEARCH | CNN HOME PAGE | MAIN WORLD NEWS PAGE |