10.) Tsunami Reached United States

The tsunami that hit Japan hit the coast of California along with hitting Hawaii and part of Oregon.  The tsunami caused millions of dollars in damage in the United States.  Water rushed up onto the roads and even into some hotels located on the big island in Hawaii and many of them were flooded.  The tsunami waves got to be about 7 feet high in America.  Extremely less damage in North America than in Japan.  The citizens of the United States were far more lucky than the citizens across the Pacific Ocean.  By morning, the waves were crashing against 30 foot tall bluffs in California.  Schools in Oregon even closed down because of the tsunami warning.  We were prepared for far worse than what hit us. 

If what would have happened in Japan had instead happened in the United States, we would be far worse off than we are now, but that doesn’t mean we are in great shape either.  It will cost millions to fix the damage caused, and the damage isn’t done.  We have to figure out a way to produce more of our own goods rather than importing them as much as we do.  We as a country need to be more independent rather than rely on the help from other countries.  The physical damage to the land can be fixed, but there is damage that we don’t know how deep it truly is.

www.google.com

www.google.com

http://youtu.be/XStcRzofmV4

"Tsunami Waves Enerated by Apan Quake Hit U.S. West Coast." FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 11 May 2011.

9.) Rising Prices, Lower Currency Values

The oil and food prices for importing into the U.S. are increasing rapidly.  Now that the nuclear emergency has scared countries into shutting down the construction of new power plants, they are trying to import as much oil as possible in order to continue powering their country.  Food prices are going up as well because the United States used to import a great deal of their food from Japan, and now that there is possible radiation isotopes in the Japanese foods, the prices to import are higher.  The Japanese yen was 83.8 per $1 before the disasters, after March 11, the yen is now only worth 76.3 per $1.  Because the Japanese held $882 billion in U.S. securities at the end of 2010, China surpassed Japan in September, the U.S. government is continuing to acquire even more deficits and maintain a low national savings rate, we have to rely even more so on foreign creditors to help us manage the debt.  The U.S. treasuries should diminish the holdings to financial reconstruction in Japan.  The United States interest rates are predicted to rise because of the capital flows with Japan and China.

www. naturalnews.com

http://www.google.com/

http://www.naturalnews.com/032209_US_dollar_debt.html

Nanto, Dick K., William H. Cooper, Renee Johnson, and Michael J. Donnelly. "Japan's 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami Economic Effects and Implications for the United States." SIRS Researcher. Web.

8.) Nuclear Power Plant Construction Slows in U.S.

Countries and their governments all around the globe are “pushing the nuclear pause button” and shutting down reactors to implement safety checks and security issues.  After Chrenobyl, people realized that after one enormous nuclear emergency like that of Ukraine, maybe nuclear power plants should wait, that accident was over 25 years ago; and two months ago in Japan, the Fukushima nuclear power plant had an emergency almost to the same radiation levels as Chrenobyl.  The United States supported building new nuclear power plants, after 25 years without a nuclear emergency, American government officials decided that it was time to build new power plants.  But after the disaster at Fukushima, the U.S. is being a bit more cautious. 

Japan depends on nuclear power so much that when the disaster happened, they lost over 10 percent of the countries power supply.  The United States uses around 20 percent of nuclear energy to supply the country with power.  Nuclear power plants cost millions to make, but once they are up and running, they are a good source of power.  When oil runs out, nuclear power may be one of the only solutions we have as of right now; but if the United States is shutting down the plans of building more reactors, then we will keep having to spend money that we don’t have in order to import oil and natural recourses into America.

 www.google.com

www.sirs/sks.com

http://youtu.be/VJfIbBDR3e8

Clayton, Mark. “Japan Nuclear Crisis: Will It Give Nations Pause?.” Christian Science Monitor. 20 Mar 2011: n.np. SIRS Researcher. Web. 09 May 2011.

7.) Nuclear Power Plant Disaster in Japan

Multiple meltdowns in the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant caused severe radiation levels to escape from the confines of the structure.  Three of the five reactors had explosions, and the fourth was on fire; the fifth reactor had been shut down since December, but during the disaster, the used fuel in storage pools almost went to a critical level because the cooling system of the reactor failed.  Five days after the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear emergency, the officials of Japan were saying it was nowhere near the same levels as Chrenobyl, but now, two months after the disaster, they are saying it is almost to the same levels.  The radiation is spreading across Japan and even reaching other countries nearby.  Despite the meltdowns, Japan is unlikely to shut down development of more nuclear power plants.  This of course will slow things down for a while, but Japan uses 30 percent nuclear power to supply its energy.  Japan will most likely increase their safety regulations and heighten public awareness, but authorities do not plan on stopping using or creating new nuclear power plants. 

Across the world, nuclear power provides 14 percent of all the worlds electricity.  Japan uses 30 percent, and the United States uses around 20 percent.  Around the globe, there are 442 nuclear reactors.  After the worst nuclear accident in history, Chrenobyl, the world halted the construction of nuclear power plants, but not for long.  During the disasters in March, Japan lost over 10 percent of its power production because they are so dependent upon nuclear energy and power.  Japan has no oil, natural gas, or even coal deposits and it is one of the largest energy consuming countries around the globe. 

http://www.google.com/

http://youtu.be/e4uNbmisKvo

Dilanian, Ken, and Don Lee. “Japan’s Crisis May Derail ‘Nuclear Renaissance’.” Los Angeles Times. 14 Mar 2011: A.1. SIRS Researcher. Web. 09 May 2011.

Leahy, Stephen. “Who Controls the Nuclear Control Agencies?” Global Information Network. 23 Mar 2011: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 09 May 2011.

6.) Toxic Fish in Japan

The Japanese fisherman are tremendously worried that radiation from seaside nuclear power plants will affect the tuna, the oysters, the sharks, the squids, and the seaweed which they sell to restaurants, fish markets, supermarkets, and export all over the world.  The worry started when Japanese officials found levels of radiation higher than normal in the seawater around the nuclear plants and complexes.  The fisherman of Japan believe that the radiation will affect the smallest fish first.  Then with the food chain, when the larger fish eat the smaller fish, the larger fish will also be contaminated with radioactive isotopes. 

 The people are becoming more and more concerned that their fishing companies will be greatly impacted and could lose $10 million, which is about 20 percent of their annual income.  On a yearly average, Japan earns $16.5 billion from fishing revenue alone, the northeast coast, where the earthquake struck, is where the vast majority of this money comes from.  If the fish become contaminated by the radioactive water, then they will definitely lose out on a great deal of their normal incomes, and they won’t be able to sell or export any fish; America is very closely regulating the food that we import from Japan and we are going to continue screening all food for radioactive isotopes and ions. 

 

http://www.google.com/

http://youtu.be/xYtBZuzOhLk

Glionna, John M., and Kenji Hall. “Japan’s Fishermen Fear Toxic Legacy.” Los Angeles Times. 24 March 2011:A. 1. SIRS Researcher. Web. 09 May 2011.

5.) Importing Food from Japan

The United States has already banned imports from Japan on certain vegetables and milk products due to the location of where they were grown to the impact of the nuclear emergency and tsunami.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned imports of spinach and kakina from Fukushima, Iharaki, Tochiai, and Guma; milk from Fukushima.  Along with those foods, all milk, milk products, fruits, and vegetables produced or shipped from Japan are searched when entered into the United States.  The foods are examined for radionuclide contamination.  The FDA issued an “Important Alert” on Japanese food and it will all be screened at American boarders and ports before it is allowed to be sold in the U.S.  Radiation of all Japanese foods will be manditory in order to be accepted in the country.  There is a U.S. trade law already in place that states that all imported articles must be marked with the country of origin. 

Not only is Japan our fourth most dominant trading partner, but they are also the fourth trading partner for agricultural exports as well.  The main reason the FDA chose spinach, milk, and vegetables are that those grown around the nuclear power plants in Japan have already been found to contain traces of a radioactive isotopes known as iodine131 and cesium137.  Radioactive iodine attacks the human thyroid and could possibly cause a thyroid epidemic. With these regulations set in place, the food we import from Japan will be radioactive isotope free, and fine for us all to eat.  Without the regulations of the FDA, radiation poisoning would be traveling worldwide from Japan and we would all consume it without knowing anything was wrong.

www.foodmatters.com/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703362904576218380234550522.html

Nanto, Dick K., William H. Cooper, Renee Johnson, and Michael J. Donnelly. "Japan's 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami                                                        Economic Effects and Implications for the United States." SIRS Researcher. Web.

4.) United States Import Problems

Japan plays a key role in supplying the globe as a supplier of parts and as a producer of final products.  During this era, even a small disaster can cause tremendous damage.  Japan’s overall production of automobiles, semiconductors, and electronics is going to be most effected.  On the American side of the disaster, the American companies that rely on Japanese companies for supplying them with electronic parts or automobile parts will also be devastated.  Some Japanese auto companies and manufacturers, such as Toyota Motor Corporation, were operated near where the earthquake and tsunami hit, other manufacturers have also had to deal with power outages and most have had to shut down or reduce output extremely.  Because of this, the United States has less to import from Japan, giving us less to sell in America.  Some of the Japanese companies that are run in the United States have also had to shut down operations due to the fact that they cannot acquire the proper parts and components from Japan; Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan, and others all import their engines or transmissions from Japan, and Ford imports Japanese made- memory chips and batteries to put in their cars, all of these companies are dealing with the recent disasters.  20.6 percent of the imports we receive from Japan are machinery, such as computers, automobiles, and electronics.  Because of the earthquake and tsunami, all of these shipments are delayed, stopped, or severely interrupted.

                   One of the electronics that requires parts imported from Japan that are currently on backorder is the Apple iPad 2.  Apple had to push the expected delivery time for those who had already ordered their iPad 2 online back 4 to 5 weeks later than first predicted.  Japan will be in short supply of the software because the factory was shut down because of the tsunami.  The aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami is likely to cause logistical disruptions and supply shortages in the iPad 2.  The iPad 2 requires many components imported from Japan like a very hard to replace electronic compass, a battery, and even advanced technology glass for the display of the electronic.

www.google.com

http://youtu.be/THg31DPc__g

http://dealnews.com/features/6-Ripple-Effects-on-Electronics-From-the-Japanese-Disasters/447205.html

"Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Crisis Could Further Apple's IPad 2 Shortages." L.A. Times 17 Mar. 2011. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 May 2011.

3.) United States Export Problems

After March 11, 2011, many of the United States companies who regularly export their goods to Japan, may have more trouble doing so than originally thought, or at a greater cost.  A slowdown in the growth of Japan is predicted and is going to reduce the number of ships we can send there.  Premiums that are required by ship owners to enter Japanese ports are now costing more. 

          The United States companies that rely on Japan for key components to their goods such as electronic parts, batteries, and transmissions for vehicles will not be able to export their finished products as easily.  If we cannot import the proper components to finish the products for export, the American companies are going to have to start mass producing the components, which will cost more money and more time for the companies.  Either way, the companies are losing precious time and money that before the disaster, would have been easily accessible.  The United States is going to lose more money because we depend so much upon Japanese companies here in America. 

          Out of the cars in this graph, Nissan, Kia, and Toyota are manufactured in Japan, along with many other car companies.  Chevrolet and Ford however, are both made in the United States, but GMC imports parts from Japan.

www.google.com

http://earthquake-report.com/2011/03/16/catdat-estimated-direct-loss-after-japan-tsunami-100-billion-us/

  Nanto, Dick K., William H. Cooper, Renee Johnson, and Michael J. Donnelly. "Japan's 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami Economic Effects and Implications for the United States." SIRS Researcher. Web.

2.) Economic Problems in the U.S. Due to Tsunami

Japan is the United States’ fourth largest trading partner, America imported 6.2 percent of its goods from Japan and we exported 4.8 percent of our goods to Japan in 2009 along with 2010.  The United States and Japan are very intensely incorporated when it comes to manufacturing; after the earthquake and tsunami, Japan is not certain how extensive the damage is to their manufacturing of automobiles and their telecommunications, but it is certain that the stocks in the United States stock market prices are skyrocketing and declining unpredictably.  When the world started into the economic recessions in 2008 and 2009, China, India, Japan, and other wealthy, growing countries began escaping their economic problems; whereas the United States is steadily increasing our national debt even further into the trillions.  The U.S. and Japan are connected via capital flow, Japan is one of the major foreign countries where our national debt is given.  Much of the financial debt is in Japan, and of course, China.

The U.S. Congress is interested in the economic side of the disasters in Japan.  Their focus is on humanization, radioactive fallout reaching America, how the disasters will impact the American citizens and the American companies in Japan as well as how they will impact trade from country to country.

                                               http://blogs.census.gov/

http://youtu.be/lX56lMJnjOY

Wiseman, Paul. "Developing Economies Lead Over Rivals Poses Risk." Newsday 30 Mar. 2011. SIRS Researcher. Web. 09 May 2011

1.) Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

At 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 (out of 10) struck the coast of Japan; the strongest earthquake ever recorded anywhere in the country.  The earthquake hit off the shore of Honshu, which is the most populous island in all of Japan.  The earthquake not only produced an aftershock, with a magnitude of 7.4, but it also churned up a tsunami.  A tsunami is a large underwater earthquake, tsunamis can travel over 800 kilometers per hour causing waves sometimes up to 12 feet.  These two things together caused trains to shut down, air travel to be severely disrupted, ships carrying over 100 people to be swept away, and power black outs across the country.  The tsunami caused panic throughout Japan, the nuclear power plants and reactors were shut down in time, but because the reactors were still hot when the water reached them, the water became contaminated with radiation endangering the people of Japan; when the water continued to move throughout Japan, the contaminated water went with it.  This caused a nuclear emergency across the country.

The damage in Japan was far worse than anyone had first thought.  In total 2,126 roads and 56 bridges were harmed, it was estimated that 245,000 people were in shelters, 243,000 homes were without power, and 720,000 homes were without clean water.  After the earthquake, aftershock, tsunami, and nuclear emergency on March 11, 14,755 people were counted dead, 5,279 people were injured, and 10,706 people are still missing from their homes.  Although the damage in Japan was great, more countries than just Japan are worried about the impact it will have on their own countries and even more, economies.

http://www.blogger.com/goog_572692107

tsunami-wave-heights-around-the-globe/

http://youtu.be/5-zfCBCq-8I

Fackler, Martin. "Huge Earthquake and Tsunami Strike Japan." International Herald Tribune. SIRS Researcher. Web. 09 May 2011.