Fuji eruption instead of Fukushima incident

Let's say on March 11, 2011, instead of the earthquake and the Fukushima incident, it was the eruption of Mount Fuji. What would likely be the consequences, economically, socially and politically? How would the world react?
 
Let's say on March 11, 2011, instead of the earthquake and the Fukushima incident, it was the eruption of Mount Fuji. What would likely be the consequences, economically, socially and politically? How would the world react?

How serious would this eruption be? Something on the level of Mount St. Helens in 1980, or the Icelandic eruption a few years back? Or a Krakatoa/Tambora (sp?) - type blast?
 

Delta Force

Banned
Looks like it would be more like an expensive version of Mt. St. Helens. From what I've seen on Wikipedia it doesn't seem like the historical eruptions caused any major loss of life, just a lot of ash that damaged farmer's fields and dammed shallower rivers. Estimates are that a modern eruption would cause $32 billion in damage.
 
While another Fuji-san eruption could cause a lot of damage, the one that everyone fears is a major eruption of the very active Asama-san, which is not that far northwest of the small city of Karuizawa. If we have a major eruption of Asama-san, the major ashfall would affect the Kanto Plain itself (e.g., Tokyo/Yokohama/Chiba) and would effectively cut off Shinkansen service on the Nagano, Jōetsu, and possibly Tōhoku lines. That's why Asama-san is so heavily instrumented to give a lot of warning of a major eruption.
 

Dorozhand

Banned
Just out of macabre curiosity, I wonder how shit would go down with a Tambora type eruption that blows the whole mountain to smitherines.
 
Just out of macabre curiosity, I wonder how shit would go down with a Tambora type eruption that blows the whole mountain to smitherines.

Japan as a nation is done. You're talking about killing half the people in the country instantly and starving/burying in ash many of the rest. China would be gripped by a massive famine as well and may well get extremely aggressive with its neighbors. India would be harshly affected as well.

In other words...

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Mt. Fuji is literally the WORST volcano in the world to have a VEI-7 eruption. Worse than the Phlagrean Fields, worse than if Rainier was capable of it. It's right smack dab in the middle of the world's biggest urban agglomeration and it's close enough to severely devastate China if it went off nearby. Galaxy has earned that Tepes award.
 
It is likely any day now. Japan was lucky in the 20th century and it had a period of massive economic growth together with a period of geological stability, all signs point to the geology getting dodgy again this past decade or two, along with the economy.

Looks like it would be more like an expensive version of Mt. St. Helens. From what I've seen on Wikipedia it doesn't seem like the historical eruptions caused any major loss of life, just a lot of ash that damaged farmer's fields and dammed shallower rivers. Estimates are that a modern eruption would cause $32 billion in damage.

There's different population distribution now to the past.
Historically Shizuoka was a pretty rural coastal strip (maybe due to the constant volcano threat...) though in the 20th century it has developed massively. Imperial Japan made the stupidest volcano related decision ever (tm) and established Fuji City, a major industrial centre on the south bank of Fuji- it just so happens the south is the part that is expected to get the worst of it if Fuji blows.
 
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