Balancing Longevity and Preparedness in Japan

It has been more than 5 years since "Japan is entering the era of 100 life expectancy" became a popular topic in our society. It is certainly positive news to witness such a remarkable increase in longevity. However, when it comes to large-scale disasters like massive volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, pandemics, and human-made accidents, which occur at frequencies of once-in-a-hundred-years, it becomes challenging to pass down first-hand experiences of these catastrophic events from one generation to the next. The time interval between two large-scale disasters is typically longer than a human lifespan, causing the stories shared by previous generations to gradually fade away over time. This implies that we may not be cautious enough or sufficiently sensitive to unexpected events. Japan's overall security and stability also contribute to this situation. However, it also makes us more susceptible to the "boiling frog phenomenon": if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will immediately jump out, but if you place a frog in tepid water and gradually increase the heat, the frog will remain in the water until the situation becomes dire. Japanese people are skilled at displaying resilience after the occurrence of an event, but we are not as adept at proactively responding to changing environments and taking preemptive measures.