Q: Regarding Japan, they don’t use states or counties, but what is a “prefecture?” What does that mean? And how many prefectures are there in Japan?
—Barbara Mitchell, East Point
A: A prefecture is "any one of the areas into which some countries (such as Japan and France) are divided for local government," according to a Merriam-Webster online dictionary. There are 47 in Japan, according to the CIA.
Q: What happens to all that debris generated by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan?
—Ingrid Jaffe, Wilmington, N.C.
A: The Wall Street Journal cited Nagahisa Hirayama, an associate professor at Kyoto University, as saying that Japan does not have guidelines on how to deal with waste management related to tsunami disasters. The country also doesn't have an agency like the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the U.S. to act as a central agency for disaster cleanup, the paper reported. Hirayama estimates that the garbage will total about 26.7 million tons in five prefectures impacted by the tsunami, which is equal to 16 years worth of waste. "Typically Japan uses incinerators and landfills for garbage disposal, but the environment ministry has yet to release a plan for the remnants from March 11," according to the story. Stars and Stripes, the military's independent news source, reported that U.S. military volunteers are among those helping with cleanup efforts in neighborhoods as part of the Misawa Helps effort.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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