Nuclear knowledge

Frankie, in Year 12, explains: “On our most recent visit to the Royal Geographical Society, we had the good fortune to hear Dr Makoto Takahashi’s thought-provoking lecture which provided a detailed insight into the aftermath of the 2011 Japan earthquake and Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. This event is recognised as one of the most devastating natural disasters in modern history, and was described by the then Japanese prime minister as the most severe crisis Japan faced since World War Two.

“After outlining the enormity of the destruction caused by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and the 40ft tsunami, Dr Takahashi illustrated how the Japanese government strove to capitalise on the opportunity presented to them as a result of the disaster: the restitution of Japanese notoriety. During the 1980s, Japan became recognised as the most innovative and forward-thinking nation on the planet. However, following the death of their emperor, in 1989, the country plummeted into a crippling economic depression, the ramifications of which could be felt for the following two decades. Japan’s economic collapse tarnished their once honoured reputation, making Japan a byword for national mismanagement on behalf of the government. After the 2011 earthquake and Fukushima reactor disaster, the government embarked on using this shared national loss to unite and restore their economic prosperity. Throughout the lecture, Dr Takahashi critically evaluated the successes and failures of the government’s strategy, and ultimately concluded that their artless overlooking of detail in implementing their agenda resulted in a nationwide prolonging of the harm caused by the natural disaster.”

Frankie added: “Dr Takahashi’s lecture offered us an invaluable chance to understand how different countries may tackle catastrophes inflicted upon them by natural disasters, making us more sensitive to the difficulties experienced as a result of recent disasters, like the Turkey-Syrian earthquake.”

Wetherby Senior’s Geography Scholars (Years 11 to 13 who have shown a particularly strong aptitude and keen interest in the subject) aim to attend a Royal Geographical Society lecture each month, extending their knowledge and understanding beyond GCSE and A Level study.