Over 7,300 school buildings in Japan may collapse in event of big quake

Tuesday 16th June, 01:52 PM JST

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kirakira25 at 05:39 PM JST - 16th June

And yet, if I have the nerve to actually stand up and ask at the next parents meeting if my daughters school is on the list of baddies I will be the one looked at like I am crazy!
realist at 05:47 PM JST - 16th June

Am I surprised by this news? Not in the slightest - only by the figures - I would at least multipy the figures by 10. Japanese public schools are a disgrace - rotting, decaying, dirty and horrible. Third World standards apply in many cases. What exactly does the J government spend our Taxes on?
noborito at 05:49 PM JST - 16th June

Bet you that a lot more crumble. The standards are so old. If the Japanese government told the public the truth, then there would be a revolt.
sabiwabi at 06:22 PM JST - 16th June

Fixing these schools is one way to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
franz75 at 07:13 PM JST - 16th June

Now, chase who received bribes on the constructions!
mareo2 at 07:15 PM JST - 16th June

I guess that the LDP rather build more roads than fix the schools.
mousepotato464 at 07:24 PM JST - 16th June

The school that I teach in shakes when the train goes by. I am sure we can handle an earthquake.
Bento at 08:33 PM JST - 16th June

How are your apartment blocks? better or worse? and that is where most people spend most of the time when they are most vulnerable ie asleep,in theory anyway.An upper 6 magnitude earthquake is exceptionally rare and the fact the majority do measure up is good news..of course the more the better but where do you get the huge sums of money required?The building stock is not all new and some may even predate earthquake building code improvements..so its no great surprise some are not up to the task.Japan leads the world in earthquake proof buildings.Look at some of the structures used as schools in countries like Turkey,Greece or italy to get a more balanced view of reality.
kanadamanada at 08:40 PM JST - 16th June

WHATTTT? You mean if there were a large quake that schools would collapse just as they did in...in...in CHINA??? But the Japanese media villified the Chinese over that, right! So, this can't be true! What renegade is pushing this obviously fabricated story? There must be North Korean spies in the midst, I tell ya! JAPAN! SAFEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, I tell ya!!!
hellhound at 08:53 PM JST - 16th June

Over 7,300 school buildings in Japan may collapse in event of big quake that's ok! that's like 0.00000001% of schools in Japan
namabiru4me at 09:15 PM JST - 16th June

statistics dont matter if your kid is enrolled in one of those schools
smithinjapan at 10:54 PM JST - 16th June

WHAT?? But the school outside where I live was just repainted (aka earth quake strengthening)!

Seriously, the first time I saw a school in Japan way back when I actually thought it was a closed down factories. Even schools in rural South Korea are more advanced and have more invested in them. Like many City Halls, it's amazing that Japan rakes in on so many taxes and complains about doling it out, but all the public offices look like absolute crap.

As for 'repairs' I have seen or heard about from friends who are parents, they are little more than the paint job I mentioned and a couple of pillars. They need to tear down as many places as possible and comPLETELY rebuild them without cutting corners on materials. Hell, they ought to be happy they can use up the slush funds before March, and ALSO engage in bid-rigging and bribery. It's win-win for all.
kirakira25 at 11:07 PM JST - 16th June

Over 7,300 school buildings in Japan may collapse in event of big quake that's ok! that's like 0.00000001% of schools in Japan

Er no, it's actually about 6 % if you look at the figures in the report, and as namabiru4me says, who cares anyway if your kids is enrolled in one of the bad ones.
Smythe at 05:19 AM JST - 17th June

Must admit here in Canada we are not with possible earthquakes other then the BIG ONE somewhere down the line of time.
flammenwerfer at 06:40 AM JST - 17th June

when was the last time you saw a new public school in Japan? private build new stuff but Public? - every public school is the same ugly 50's 60's four storey concrete block. Many of them are looking very run down and decrepit and are extremely depressing treeless, greenless prisons. The local and National Govt have neglected them for years - sure we can concrete up river beds and make them 'beautiful', build huge ridiculous bridges and motorways - but can we build some safe new school buildings? no, not enough bribery to had in the deal. Osaka is the worst? what will the big hero Mayor Hashimoto do about this problem? SFA me thinks.