Fukuoka for disaster recovery
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
I wanted to see what a new AI called Perplexity had to say about a project we did at work recently. I asked:
What is the best city in Japan in which to locate a disaster recovery operation if the criteria are: low risk of disastrous earthquake or tsunami; independence of the TEPCO power grid; availability of educated personnel in the job market; good transportation options such as air and shinkansen?
Here is what the AI had to "say". It came to the same conclusion we did at work. Note that the AI doesn't seem to know about the subsidies available from the city and prefecture, but that was really the icing on the cake for us and not the motivator. Fukuoka's a solid choice.
Based on the criteria provided, Fukuoka City appears to be the best option for locating a disaster recovery operation in Japan. Here's why:
## Low Risk of Disastrous Earthquake or Tsunami
Fukuoka City has an extremely low risk of earthquakes and is less likely to be damaged simultaneously with Tokyo[2]. The probability of a lower Shindo 6 earthquake occurring within the next 30 years is significantly lower in Fukuoka compared to other major cities in Japan[2].
## Independence from TEPCO Power Grid
Fukuoka is located on the island of Kyushu, which is separate from the main island of Honshu where Tokyo is located. This geographical separation means that Fukuoka is not dependent on the TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) grid, which primarily serves the Kanto region.
## Availability of Educated Personnel
While not explicitly mentioned in the search results, Fukuoka is known for its universities and growing tech industry. As the largest city in Kyushu and one of Japan's major urban centers, it likely has a pool of educated personnel in the job market.
## Good Transportation Options
Fukuoka has excellent transportation infrastructure:
- **Air Travel**: Fukuoka Airport is one of the busiest in Japan and offers both domestic and international flights.
- **Shinkansen**: The city is connected to the Shinkansen network via the Sanyo Shinkansen line, providing high-speed rail access to other major cities.
## Additional Advantages
- **Financial Hub**: Fukuoka is positioning itself as an international financial center, which could be beneficial for a disaster recovery operation[2].
- **Disaster Preparedness**: The city likely has robust disaster prevention measures in place, given its focus on safety and low disaster risk.
While other cities like Osaka and Nagoya were mentioned in the search results, they face higher risks of flooding, tsunamis, or earthquakes compared to Fukuoka[4][7]. Tokyo, despite its technological advancements, is at higher risk of earthquakes and is dependent on the TEPCO grid[1][5].
In conclusion, Fukuoka City offers the best combination of low disaster risk, infrastructure independence, potential workforce, and transportation options for a disaster recovery operation in Japan.
Citations:
[1] reddit.com[2] fukuoka.jp[3] reconstruction.go.jp[4] city.osaka.lg.jp[5] funenka.metro.tokyo.lg.jp[6] mhlw.go.jp[7] nic-nagoya.or.jp[8] jma.go.jp