Why Does Japan Have So Many Overhead Power Lines?

Above, the Godzilla slide at the Kurihama Flower World in Yokosuka with nearby power lines. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rocket News 24 posted an interesting article. It asks (and answers) a question that some visitors to Japan have asked.

The question: Why does Japan have so many overhead power lines?

First, though, overhead power lines came into play in the 1954 Godzilla. According to movie's script, a special electrical fence was erected around the perimeter of Tokyo Bay to block Godzilla from coming ashore. We all know that didn't work out too well. The "electical fence" towers were the familiar overhead power line towers we all see everyday (even in the U.S.).

Then, in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), the overhead power lines that encircled Tokyo managed to block Godzilla from entering the city, but were ineffective against King Kong.

Rocket News 24 begins their article with:

Something many visitors to Japan notice is the abundance of overhead power lines. Whether you’re in the suburbs, city center, or even rural communities, it’s rare to look up at the sky or towards the horizon without the view being crisscrossed by thick, black cables.

So, why does Japan have many overhead power lines? The answer is a simple one (and they are not for keeping kaiju out of populated areas) and makes perfect sense.

To read the article, go here.