REPORT

Comparison of Two Large Earthquakes: The 2008 Sichuan
Earthquake and the 2011 East Japan Earthquake– From a Student Discussion Session in Beijing, 2011 –Yuki Otani,1 Takayuki Ando,1 Kaori Atobe,1 Akina Haiden,1 Sheng-Yuan Kao,1 Kohei Saito,1 Marie Shimanuki,1Norifumi Yoshimoto1 and Koichi Fukunaga2
1The Association for China-Japan Medical Student Relation, 27th Delegation,

School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan

2Pulmonary Division, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan(Received for publication on December 12, 2011)(Revised for publication on January 26, 2012)(Accepted for publication on February 2, 2012)

Between August 15th and 19th, 2011, eight 5th-year medical students from the Keio University Schoolof Medicine had the opportunity to visit the Peking University School of Medicine and hold a discussion
session titled “What is the most effective way to educate people for survival in an acute disaster situation (before the mental health care stage)?” During the session, we discussed the following six points:
basic information regarding the Sichuan Earthquake and the East Japan Earthquake, differences in
preparedness for earthquakes, government actions, acceptance of medical rescue teams, earthquakeinduced secondary effects, and media restrictions. Although comparison of the two earthquakes was
not simple, we concluded that three major points should be emphasized to facilitate the most effective
course of disaster planning and action. First, all relevant agencies should formulate emergency plans
and should supply information regarding the emergency to the general public and health professionals
on a normal basis. Second, each citizen should be educated and trained in how to minimize the risks
from earthquake-induced secondary effects. Finally, the central government should establish a single
headquarters responsible for command, control, and coordination during a natural disaster emergency
and should centralize all powers in this single authority. We hope this discussion may be of some use
in future natural disasters in China, Japan, and worldwide. (Keio J Med 61 (1) : 35–39, March 2012)

Keywords: disaster planning, earthquake, East Japan Earthquake, Sichuan Earthquake

Introduction

large-scale disasters in China and Japan. The central
discussion was titled “What is the most effective way to
educate people for survival in an acute disaster situation(before the mental health care stage)?”
We exchanged information concerning actual disastersituations, specifically, the Sichuan Earthquake of 2008
and the East Japan Earthquake of 2011. Japanese students
learned how the Chinese government promoted reconstruction in Sichuan and faced several problems in the 3

Keio University has had a close relationship with Peking University School of Medicine for more than a quarter century. Between August 15th and 19th, 2011, eight
5th-year medical students from Keio University Schoolof Medicine visited Peking University School of Medicine and planned academic sessions consisting of faculty
lectures and student discussion groups regarding recent

Reprint requests to: Yuki Otani, The Association for China-Japan Medical Student Relation, 27th Delegation, Shool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan, E-mail: trust_yo_self@a6.keio.jp
Copyright © 2012 by The Keio Journal of Medicine
35

Otani Y, et al: Two Large Earthquakes in Japan and China

36

Table 1 Comparison of the Sichuan Earthquake and the East Japan Earthquake

Actual damage
Area
Date
Magnitude
Fatalities
Major fatality age group
Injuries
Missing
Buildings destroyed
Buildings damaged
Estimated expense
Preparedness for earthquakes
Government level
Community level
Personal level
Government action
Coordination
ForcesLegislation adjustment
Financial aid
Reconstruction
Acceptance of medical rescue teams
ForcesNational
International
Earthquake induced-secondary effects

Sichuan Earthquake

East Japan Earthquake

Sichuan Province 1
May 12th, 2008, 2:28 p.m. 1
8.0 1
70,000 1
Children under 5 years old 2
374,000 1
20,000 1
7,967,000 5
24,543,000 5
10.26 trillion yen 3
No basic earthquake emergency plan11
Not enough supplies
No trained staff
No fixed evacuation sites
No experience and awarenessTohoku Prefectures 6,7
March 11th, 2011, 2:46 p.m. 6,7
9.0 6,7
15,660 8
Those over 60 years old 95689 85329 8109,741 8
583,340 8
1.69 trillion yen 8
Prepared with earthquake emergency plan
Enough supplies 8,12
Experienced staff 12,13
Fixed evacuation sites
Earthquake education

Successful 14
People’s Liberation Army, local troops
Yes 3,14,15
Yes 14
Yes 14

Unsuccessful 17
DMAT, Self-Defense Force 16
PartialYes, but delayed 17,18
Yes, but delayed 17,18

Army
Successful 14
Yes, but delayed 14

Volunteers and medical staff 12,17,18
Successful 12,17,18
Successful 19

Heavy rain 2

Tsunami + nuclear power plant meltdown

years following the disaster. The discussion revealed thedifferent responses of China and Japan immediately after
disaster struck and suggested a way toward reconstruction in Japan.
Different Responses to the Sichuan Earthquake andthe East Japan Earthquake
In our discussion of the differences between the responses to the disasters in China and Japan, we focusedon six points: basic information, preparedness for earthquakes, government actions, acceptance of medical rescue teams, earthquake-induced secondary effects, andmedia restrictions. Table 1 shows a comparison of the
Sichuan Earthquake and the East Japan Earthquake.
Basic information regarding the Sichuan Earthquake
and the East Japan Earthquake
At 2:28 p.m. on May 12th, 2008, a magnitude-8.0 earth-quake struck the Sichuan Province of China, resulting in
70,000 deaths,1 mainly in children under 5 years of age;2374,000 injuries;1 and 20,000 people missing.1 The total
number of civilians affected by the disaster was a staggering 46,240,000,3 equivalent to nearly one-third of thetotal population of Japan, and the disaster is known as themost devastating earthquake of the 21st century.4 Around
7,967,000 buildings5 were completely demolished and24,543,000 buildings were partially damaged.5 Somecounties in Sichuan Province, such as Beichuan Qiang
Autonomous County, were completely buried due to slope
failures. Infrastructure including gas, Electricity, water,
digital communications, and roads were disrupted.3 Total
expenses incurred due to the Sichuan earthquake were
estimated to be equivalent to about ¥10.26 trillion.3 Of
that figure, half was spent on construction, and the rebuilding of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and railways constituted around 20% of expenditure.3
Three years after the Sichuan Earthquake, at 2:46
p.m. on March 11th, 2011, a magnitude-9.06,7 earthquake
struck off the coast of Japan resulting in 15,560 fatalities,8Keio J Med 2012; 61 (1): 35–39

mostly in those over 60 years old;9 5689 injuries;8 and5329 people missing.8 This earthquake, one of the five
most powerful earthquakes in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900,7 triggered powerful tsunami
reaching 38.9 m high in Miyako in Iwate Prefecture.10 In
the Sendai area, waves traveled up to 10 km inland, destroying 109,741 buildings8 and damaging 583,340 more.8
Total expenses incurred due to the East Japan Earthquake
are estimated to be approximately ¥1.69 trillion yen.8
Preparedness for earthquakes
Chinese citizens were not well prepared in terms of basic earthquake emergency planning because no one had
expected such a large earthquake to occur in this region.11
First, at the government level, there were not enoughdrugs and equipment stored by the Health and Civil Affairs Bureau.11 Second, at the community level, medical
staff within the community were not adequately trainedfor emergency medical care and were not trained in theuse of specialized supplies.11 This reduced the speed andefficiency of the acute disaster response. Finally, at thepersonal level, the general public lacked awareness andexperience in how to respond to earthquake disasters.
Evidently, many casualties were caused by inappropriate
escape and evacuation methods such as jumping out of
windows or falling off buildings.11
Japanese citizens, on the other hand, are relatively well
prepared for earthquake emergencies through past experience of many earthquake disasters. First, at the government level, there were adequate drugs and equipment
stored at the emergency disaster control headquarters that
could be rapidly transported by trucks.8,12 Second, at thecommunity level, emergency evacuation areas are designated in Japan and medical staff who visited the affectedareas were experienced and well trained.12,13 Finally, atthe personal level, emergency evacuation procedures aretaught from a very young age and therefore all Japanesecitizens know instinctively how to behave when an earthquake strikes. From our personal experiences, there were
no general increases in the prices of everyday goods after
the earthquake, and people waited in line even when merchandise was running out in supermarkets. This shows
how calm Japanese citizens are in response to earthquake
disasters.
Government action
The Chinese government took immediate action tosave lives. Jiabao Wen, Premier and Party Secretary of
the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, thenserving as China’s head of state, quickly made himself
available at the disaster site and displayed strong leadership in both the immediate response and the reconstruc-37

tion phase14. The central government closely coordinatedwith the municipal governments and deployed People’s
Liberation Army troops from all over China for emergency rescue. In addition, legislation3,14,15 was adjusted andinfrastructure was rebuilt. The central government also
undertook full refugee support including moving whole
villages to safe areas.14
In Japan, directly after the disaster, Disaster Medical
Assistance Teams (DMATs) and the Self-Defense Forceswere assembled and deployed to the affected area.16 It wasa difficult situation for Prime Minister Naoto Kan to coordinate because there were several different headquarters. There was a fragmented framework because somedisaster emergency resources were replicated across different agencies.17 The response of each agency became
independent, leading to delay in adjusting legislation andreconstructing infrastructure.17,18
Acceptance of medical rescue teams
Response time is very important when helping injured
people in urgent need of medical care. In China, the central government received aid and rescue support from themunicipal governments around China. As a result, theysucceeded in cooperating within the country during the
Sichuan Earthquake, and the first external medical teamarrived within 10 hours.11,14 However, because the Chinese government was unable to respond quickly to offersof assistance from other countries, the acceptance of international rescue teams took days.14
In the case of the East Japan Earthquake, the central
government received aid and support from medical professionals and volunteers from all over Japan.12,17,18 They
made quick decisions, exchanged information, and coordinated well to create a support team. In addition, thehelp of independent organizations such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was requestedby the central government. JICA teams assembled nongovernmental organization (NGO) and official development assistance (ODA) members in the disaster area from
more than 20 different countries, including Mongolia, Indonesia, and Mexico. They were technically assisted by
JICA in this emergency situation and supported rescue
activities on the ground.19 The combination of national
and international support resulted in a very successful
acute rescue response compared to that of the Sichuan
Earthquake.
Earthquake-induced secondary effects
In the case of the Sichuan Earthquake, the secondary
effect of heavy rain worsened the situation, causing mudslides and destruction of buildings.2 Many of the dead,therefore, were children younger than 5 years old who
were more vulnerable because of three factors: the earth-Otani Y, et al: Two Large Earthquakes in Japan and China

38

quake intensity, collapsed houses, and slopes.2
In Japan, earthquake damage to buildings and infrastructure was not a major problem. The reason is that Japan as a whole has taken care to include earthquake resistant systems in building designs thanks to the experienceof earlier earthquakes.20 Many public buildings such as
school buildings and gymnasiums remained undamaged,
and fortunately, people were able to flee temporarily tothese buildings. It was destruction by the tsunami subsequent to the earthquake that caused most fatalities, especially in people aged more than 60 years; this age groupaccounted for 65.2% of all deaths.6 In addition, damage tonuclear power stations following the tsunami is causingmajor problems for earthquake reconstruction.
Media restrictions
As many of our readers will know, in China, multimedia outlets such as radio, TV, and newspapers are under acertain amount of political control. Therefore, media reports are strictly regulated.14 However, directly after the
Sichuan earthquake, the central government and the municipal government in Sichuan released reports concerning the extent of the damage, and as a result, the overseas
media were able to access information freely.14
The tsunami triggered by the East Japan Earthquake
caused damage to a number of nuclear power stations,principally the ongoing level-7 meltdowns at three reactors of the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant complex. The resulting evacuation has affected hundreds ofthousands of residents.21 If the full extent of the radiation
leak had been broadcasted in the media, the result could
have been widespread panic even outside the affected
area, and this would have seriously hampered disasteremergency management. On the other hand, in comparison with the Chinese media reporting, Japanese media
reporting was slow and insufficient and did not contribute to rescuing people from the earthquake and earthquake-induced secondary effects. In the Japanese media
broadcasts and government press releases, there was notenough information regarding which escape routes werestill open and which had been destroyed, and courses ofaction such as evacuating to higher ground were not publicized beforehand.8
Conclusion
Both China and Japan have experienced unprecedented
disasters. In collaboration with Chinese medical students,
we compared the response to the East Japan Earthquakewith that of the Sichuan Earthquake, the largest earthquake in China’s history. In our discussion, we clarified
the pros and cons of the actions taken in each country.
Through the discussion, we recognized that it was very
difficult to compare the Sichuan and East Japan Earth-quakes because of the differences in the magnitude of theearthquakes, the population density, and the landscapeas well as the complex situations involving earthquakeinduced secondary effects.
Earthquakes are natural disasters that cannot be avoided. However, the damage wrought by earthquakes canbe minimized by effective disaster planning and robustbuilding regulations. We compared the overall situationand the measures taken after the Sichuan Earthquake
and the East Japan Earthquake, and we emphasize threepoints that can facilitate the most effective course of action in acute disaster emergencies.
First, all the related agencies should formulate emergency plans and pass on information regarding the emergency situation to the general public and health professionals on a normal basis. For example, the location ofevacuation areas and safe routes to reach them should bemade known.
Second, each citizen should be encouraged to undergo
education and training in how to minimize risks fromearthquake-induced secondary effects. For example, each
community should hold mandatory drills to show how tosurvive earthquake-induced secondary effects such as
tsunami.
Finally, the central government should try to determine
a single headquarters responsible for command, control
and coordination in emergency situations and centralize all powers to that single authority. The reason why
most government efforts went smoothly in China after
the Sichuan Earthquake was that all the actors were coordinated by central government to work on ameliorating
the effects of the disaster.
We hope this discussion may be of some use in futurenatural disasters in China, Japan, and worldwide. It may
be sensible for Japan to emulate some aspects of the Chinese reconstruction policy. For instance, the Chinese government has successfully overcome financial problems
through a three-year reconstruction plan. It is a concernthat Japan could face big financial problems in the near
future, although solutions that worked well in China may
not prove compatible with the situation in Japan.
We pray that the Tohoku region will recover from theeffects of the earthquake and tsunami as soon as possible.
Acknowledgments
We are sincerely thankful to our supervisors, Professor
Toshifumi Hibi (Gastroenterology Division, Departmentof Medicine) and Professor Masato Yasui (Departmentof Pharmacology), whose encouragement, guidance, andsupport from the initial to the final stages enabled us todevelop an understanding of our subject. Lastly, we offer
thanks to all those who supported us during the completion of this article.

Keio J Med 2012; 61 (1): 35–39

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