Ad-Hoc Summit on the Aftermath of the Japanese Earthquake

Please note: this is a special application committee.

Divya Seth, Director
Zagreb Mukerjee, Crisis Director

Class Year: 2014

Concentration: Neurobiology/Mind, Brain, Behavior Track

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Favorite Country: India

Favorite Food: Greek Yogurt

Favorite MUN Memory: Getting asked to prom in the middle of committee with a bouquet of flowers.

Why should delegates come to HMUN? Great committees, fantastic discussion, a chance to meet people from around the world, and who knows? maybe get asked to prom

Questions? E-mail Divya at japansummit@harvardmun.org.

Committee Summary
The aftermath of the devastation caused by the Japanese earthquake in 2011 has resounded in all aspects of the world. There have been not only human and environmental tolls as a result of the earthquake and tsunami, but also economic and financial damage. In terms of human toll, the Japanese earthquake and resulting tsunami took over 8,000 lives, with more than 13,000 people still missing. Such a huge human impact demands discussion, as it will in turn affect the speed at which the country can rebound back to its pre-crisis state.

The environmental effects of the earthquake and tsunami are apparent in the destruction left behind. Infrastructure is crucial to an economy as rapidly paced and connected as that of Japan; how will Japan be able to revitalize considering that most of its infrastructure, such as roads and phone lines, have been torn down by the earthquake? Even more alarming is the issue of how the nuclear leaks will affect international waters and the shared environment. Research has shown that iodide levels in regions as far from Japan as Massachusetts have risen, which shows the extent to which the nuclear crisis has affected the international population. Japanese businesses, previously very strong and reliable, have struggled to recuperate, which has also subsequently affected the world economy.

This committee will seek to address the earthquake and the subsequent nuclear crisis that struck Japan in 2011. The focus of the committee will be to respond to the crisis in a real-life manner, and deal with the consequences, while taking into account the many different sectors that were affected, namely economic, environmental, political, and international. Delegates, representing different sectors, from Japanese government officials to CEOs to heads of states, will have to respond to the events that followed the crisis. How should the government respond immediately after the earthquake? Which areas should be given priority and resolved first? How does one prevent radiation from spreading and affecting other parts of the world? How does a foreign nation respond to a situation that affects not only the global economy, but also the global environment?