Why is Japan so prone to earthquakes?published at 05:05 GMT
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,
The devastation caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami
Earthquakes are a part of life in Japan, which experiences about 1,500 quakes a year.
The country sits on the Ring of Fire, a Pacific region where many tectonic plates meet, resulting in volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
The vast majority do little damage, but there are some – like the one which struck in 2011 measuring magnitude 9.0, sending a tsunami into the north-east coast and killing more than 18,000 people.
With each major quake Japan has learned important lessons about adaptation. It has adjusted its engineering and building codes to better protect residents from tremors.
