TOK: Japan earth quake and national Income

Grade 12 HL
Theory of Knowledge

Click 1: Great East Japan Earthquake: economic and trade impact

Click 2: Japan's economic growth nearly doubles U.S. [CNN]

In March 2011, a massive earth quake struck off the coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that wiped out dozens of communities along Japan's northeast coast. There are now estimate that the disaster may lead to an increase in Japan's GDP of hundreds of billions of dollars. 

Question: 

Can a natural disaster be good for a country's GDP? Does such destruction really create economic welfare? Or is there something flawed about how we measure it? (Maley,Welker 248)

Comment in 400 words. 

Assignment Due on 12th Sept.  2015 (Saturday)