Panel Revises Chances Of A Major Quake In Kanto Region

Above, modern Tokyo buildings have been designed to withstand earthquakes. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Being from Southern California, living under the threat of a major earthquake is something I am rather used to. The two major ones I experienced were the Sylmar Earthquake of February 1971 and the Northridge Earthquake of January 1994.

I have also felt others, but they were less strong where I was at (the Landers Earthquake and the Big Bear Earthquake hit on the same day around 1991 and I remember those). Los Angeles is overdue for a major earthquake.

Now, News on Japan reports that chances of a major earthquake in the Kanto Region of Japan (which includes Tokyo) have been revised up. This is the first time in ten years that a modification has been made.

They wrote:

Seismologists have revised upward the chance of a very big earthquake in Tokyo and vicinity within the next 30 years from zero to 2 percent to a maximum 5 percent. 

The government's Earthquake Research Committee on Friday released revised possible magnitudes and chances of powerful quakes near the Sagami Trough. 

The trough extends from Sagami Bay to off the Boso Peninsula in the Kanto region that includes Tokyo. 

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