A mountainous country, holding large metropolitan areas, surrounded by and filled with bodies of water—all of these are quite reasonable descriptions of Japan. As a nation that is no stranger to typhoons and intense flooding, officials have taken extra measures to ensure that defense infrastructures are in place. Yet, even with one of the most expensive systems—increased percentages of intense rainfall, storm surge, and parts of Tokyo already underwater have many worried that the systems are not effective enough. Fears are amplified by the prospect of the Olympics 2020, which will be hosted by Tokyo. In addition to managing the 38 million people already living in the Tokyo metropolitan, the system will have to support added stress. The Kasukabe site supports a large part of the treatment/divergence process. Though a possible solution would be to build a similar system, Prime Minister Abe warns that the economy may not be able to support such a feat.
Along with our discussion of city water treatment and anti-flood measures, I think another important factor to consider is the city capacity. I find it interesting that despite having a $2 billion anti-flood system, Tokyo alone is still at a high risk in terms of flooding issues. Yet in comparison to New York, which is also a highly populated city, Tokyo holds a high population in a much smaller space. Being highly developed and industrialized with little green space to act as a sponge, runoff could be a large issue, with very little room for infiltration, considering a lack of porous soil. Although the system is expensive, it does not necessarily mean it is the most effective either. The current technique used is a system of tunnels diverting water from floodplains. However, there are instances in which rainfall is so intense, which will be more frequent in the future due to climate change, that where the water is diverted to doesn’t necessarily stop flooding. Perhaps implementing green measures as New York has been planning, to create ‘sponges’ with green spaces is a viable option for this highly populated metropolis.
How would you handle storm surges, 38 million people, AND preparations to host the world in 2020? #bcsfh20 https://t.co/nItCoKzCzO
— Priyanka Algu (@priyaKa98) October 11, 2017
