48.4 Historical earthquakes in Japan

Abstract

Japan is considered one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. This chapter reviews the history of earthquakes in Japan. It attempts to provide a taste of such studies by describing some case studies of how an accurate picture of an earthquake can be developed. Two cases of mass migration are also presented with emphasis on some of the social effects of earthquake. There have been about 796 destructive earthquakes, or ones causing damage, in the 1397 years up to 1995. There have been 453 destructive earthquakes in the 128-year period since the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when Japan's modernization began. In 1892, the Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee was organized that aimed at the compilation of data on historical earthquakes. Records of earthquakes in Japan are in a variety of forms, including official historical documents, private historical materials, records, chronicles of local history, letters, and dossiers. The initial task confronting analysts is to interpret them, which essentially means rendering them into modern script. This work requires knowledge of archaic terms and writing styles together with certain special training.