Japan Earthquake

Location: Japan lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the world’s most seismically active belt.

Tectonic setting: Situated at the convergence of the Pacific Plate, Philippine Sea Plate, Eurasian (Amur) Plate and North American (Okhotsk) Plate.

Reason for frequent earthquakes: Continuous subduction and interaction of these tectonic plates generate frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Type of boundary: Predominantly convergent (destructive) plate boundaries.

Major hazard: Earthquakes are often followed by tsunamis, landslides and aftershocks.

Disaster preparedness: Japan has one of the world’s most advanced earthquake-resistant building codes, early warning systems and disaster management mechanisms.

UPSC Prelims Question

Q. With reference to Japan, consider the following statements:

Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Japan experiences frequent earthquakes because it lies at the convergence of multiple tectonic plates.
The majority of earthquakes in Japan occur due to divergent plate boundaries.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A

Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because most earthquakes in Japan occur due to convergent (subduction) plate boundaries, not divergent boundaries.

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Japan Earthquake