Japan government prepares plan to flee Tokyo

Mark Willacy
American Broadcasting Company
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:50 UTC

© Yomiuri Shimbun/Reuters

Fears for the future: a stunned woman stands amongst rubble in Ishimaki city after the earthquake

Japan is considering the possibility of creating a back-up capital city in case a major natural disaster, like the March 11 earthquake, strikes Tokyo.

A new panel from Japan's Ministry of Land and Infrastructure will consider the possibility of moving some of Tokyo's capital functions to another big city, like Osaka.

Japan is located on the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences one-fifth of the world's strongest earthquakes and geologists have warned Tokyo is particularly vulnerable to powerful earthquakes.

It is feared if a massive earthquake like the March magnitude 9.0 quake struck Tokyo, it could destroy the country's political and economic base.

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