CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The Japanese archipelago is constantly jolted by earthquakes.

The Japan Meteorological Agency records about 100,000 earthquakes a year from the most insignificant tremor to major building shakers.

Earthquakes are a way of life here — during the month of October, more than 55 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or larger were recorded.

The Japanese have recorded earthquakes since A.D. 416, when an Osaka tremor was documented. Since then, this natural phenomenon has claimed countless lives.

In the past 200 years, 33 major earthquakes have rocked Japan.

The most recent one, which is still fresh in memories of many, was the 1995 Hanshin Awaji Great Earthquake that killed more than 6,000 people.

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