Japan is uniquely vulnerable to tsunamis because it is situated near the Japan Trench and the Nankai Trough, where subduction occurs frequently. Over centuries, the Japanese people documented these events, leading to the cultural and scientific integration of the word “Tsunami.” In modern times, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami served as a global reminder of why Japanese terminology dominates this field. The country leads the world in tsunami research, engineering and public education, as the phenomenon is an inherent part of their geological reality and historical narrative.