Japan is one of the countries with the highest seismic activity in the world . Its delicate situation on numerous tectonic plates and faults causes about 5,000 earthquakes a year (an average of two seismic movements a day) although the population only notices about a thousand. Being in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire , one of the areas with the most tectonic movement on the planet, means that Japan has developed a series of security measures that allow it to face the majority of earthquakes that devastate its territory. However, there are cases where the force of nature is unstoppable .
In March 2011 , the slippage of two tectonic plates on a fault caused an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 on the Richter scale that affected the entire northeast of Japan. The power was such that in just two minutes, much of the country was devastated , but it was only the beginning. A tsunami derived from the brutal earthquake finished devastating four different provinces and caused the loss of control and the nuclear accident at the Fukushima I plant. The security measures available to the country, such as special buildings whose structure is capable of withstanding strong earth movements or retaining walls against tsunamis , were useless on this occasion.
The succession of natural disasters caused tens of thousands of deaths, disappearances and displacement throughout the country. Furthermore, the accident at the nuclear power plant (which was compared on numerous occasions to the one at Chernobyl) forced the deployment of a containment device, extended the effects for years and led to the dismantling of the plant . The damage was astronomical and generated an estimated cost of 25 trillion yen for the Japanese government .
Years after the tragedy, the Japanese islands have recovered much of their former splendor but continue to suffer the consequences and damages derived from the destruction, floods or contamination by radioactive leaks from Fukushima.
