Of Apologies and TEPCO

I'm sitting here at my desk supposed to studying for the test that's only in a few days, but instead, I'm reading the news. Sometimes you want to stay away from it, you know? Whenever you open it, it's never good anymore, but then you realize that you should at least stay educated about what's happening around you, so you pull it up yet again feeling like you're prepared for the worst, and yet you're never prepared. Posts by friends up on Facebook consist of things like "It's a nightmare, but I firmly believe it won't get worse;" "Ganbatte Nihon (Do your best Japan!);" and just general wanting to help. Although it seems like most of the world has started to focus back on the Jasmine Revolution, that couldn't be further from everyone's minds here. We continue to assure those abroad that we're fine, and the Kansai area remains a place of refuge for all: pregnant women and children, foreigners who have been told to evacuate here from their governments, and the list goes on.

Frustration continues with regard to TEPCO. Since the disaster began, TEPCO officials have continued to state how this sort of catastrophe could not be predicted, but recent news leaks show differently. Most of Japan's reactors tend to be near the coast for the reason or if there was a cooling failure in the plant, they would have quick access to water to cool the reactors. However, this also exposes them to tsunamis. The Fukushima Plant is located on top of a hill, and it was built in mind with the idea that a tsunami would not overcome the 6 m (20 ft) wall up to the plant. When they did the calculations, apparently there was only a 10 percent chance of this happening in the next 50 years. However, the tsunami that hit the plant on March 11 was 14 m high. The government held utilities in charge of the plant responsible for assuring that they could withstand this kind of disaster situation. 

Due to public and international doubts, TEPCO's stocks fell 18% the other day. There are thoughts that TEPCO might be nationalized. On a normal day, TEPCO provides enough power to power all of Britain. Therefore, you can't just shut down the company; the effects would be enormous and would compound the problems. If the government doesn't take over TEPCO, the likelihood that the company will collapse is high. According to the Wall Street Journal, the government must take over the company, remove top management, and possibly change the name as well to avoid further adding to Japan's problems.

TEPCO's president in an interview just admitted when asked about the current state of the plant, "Frankly, I'm very sorry. We don't know.  First, the most pressing matter is to cool reactors 1-4."「正直申し上げて分からない。まずは１〜４号機を冷却するのが急務だ。」 

TEPCO's president along with other high-ranking TEPCO officials just issued an apology to the nation stating approximately, "For all the difficulties with safety/security, I'd like to apologize. We are giving our full effort to the restoration work. While for now it is important to have everyone's support, you have my word that we will compensate for the damage."

Right now the government is debating how to best handle the situation of the contaminated water spreading into the ocean. They are considering using a tanker to collect the water from the underground tunnels, but of course what to do with said water is still up in the air. 

Prime Minister Kan is dealing with increased calls for his resignation as well as debating whether to extend the evacuation zone beyond 20 km. Doing so would displace over 100,000 more people, but not doing so could threaten their health.

A quick note, if you want to read a very good summary of how things are today, I'd really recommend going to the last source "Seawater Radiation Level Soars Near Plant" by the WSJ. It is accurate and actually tells how things are at the moment.

Sources:

Special Report: Japan engineers knew tsunami could overrun plant (Reuters)

Speculation Grows on Tepco Takeover (WSJ)

原発建屋に布、汚染水回収にタンカー案　政府が検討 (NIKKEI)

東電会社「心からおわび」福島第１原発事故 (NIKKEI)

東電会長、プラントの損傷具合「正直分からない」 (NIKKEI)
Seawater Radiaton Level Soars Near Plant

Of Some Confusion

TEPCO has been less than useful recently. We're told that the area around the Fukushima plant is high in radiation. Workers can only be in the reactors for a few minutes a time and there's radioactive particles in the water in the tunnels where they are working, compounding the issue. Furthermore, a warning bell went off which sent workers out of the reactor the other day. Then, we receive news that this was a malfunction in their system and the radiation actually wasn't that high. Other news sources such as Reuters, MIT, etc. report that even though the radiation is high near the reactor, people further away are fine. The radiation will be diluted by the sea and it will be so minuscule by the time that fish and other aquatic life consume it, it will be virtually nil. They tested water 30 km away for this. Radiation levels in downtown Tokyo are even lower than normal world averages. The water in Tokyo is safe another day for infants to drink, but that's not true in Chiba and some other prefectures that are closer to the reactor. It's gotten to the point here frankly the NY Times, CNN, FOX are just ignored for their continued "imminent doom" proclamations, and Reuters, MIT, and Nikkei are just releasing all information that they can confirm. This means that their reports often seem to be conflicting, but yet calming. The one thing that has risen out of this is the common belief that TEPCO needs to be more open, that the UN needs to help out more, and that everyone is infinitely grateful for those who have gone to the reactors to help. The workers and engineers there are not getting paid anymore than normal, and even though their families urge them not to go, they continue to go because their sense of duty to the safety of the country's people around them is their main priority.

Class schedules continue to be up in the air. We finally received the schedule today, and although everything seems to be on time, even things in Kansai are a little scattered. Students are arriving late, still waiting on their governments to give them permission to come. Some are coming even without that permission though.

I went out and bought the JLPT Registration form today. I've filled it out, and I'll take it to the post office soon to go get that finished. It's official: Level 2. Right now, I definitely can't pass it. But I'll study and do my best to try to be ready.

I have to register for classes back at Miami tomorrow. I can't even explain how far that seems from my mind at the moment.

The one thing that sticks out at the moment though is this recent dedication from everyone to scale back their excesses. Heaters are off, unnecessary lights are off, and people are gathering together to share energy. In a country where they coined the term "hikikomori" (引きこもり), literally, a person who shuts himself in his room to avoid contact with society, this alone is enough to really shock you. People who rarely if ever see each other are now sharing common areas. Although the conversations are coming slowly, the disaster has in a way made people closer and value what truly matters in life. I have to say, it's been a profound experience. And for this reason alone, I'm glad to have remained in Japan.

Of the Tokyo Area

I'd like to say that last night I fought a fierce battle between updating the blog and just going to sleep but that unfortunately wouldn't be true. I fell asleep on my bed around 1 without a remotely blog-related thought in my head. To be fair though, nothing's really changed much.

So let's see what might have possibly popped up in the news. It's really very fascinating actually because you hear reports of them having been stabilized, but yet not safe. So it's really rather odd.

Anyway, back to the point. It seems like 3 workers were injured the other day due to being exposed to 10,000 times the normal dose. What they were trying to do was go to an underground level in one of the turbines. Unfortunately, the cooling water which we all know is radioactive has leaked to these levels as well. This means that workers just can't go down to try to fix it. They have to find other ways to deal with the problem.

So, what are other ways? Mainly, the injection of freshwater instead of saltwater to the reactors. I know, I know. Didn't we specifically use for a reason? Yes, but now we have freshwater again, so we're going to use that. Obviously I'm not expert, but from what I understand with my non-nuclear physicist-type brain, the salt can build up on the fuel rods and the container itself. This leads to not only some fairly serious corrosion issues, but also the threat of increasing the heat of the reactors because of a sort of salt casing.

TEPCO and the government are suffering from some accusations that the situation has been handled properly. That's obviously subjective, and I'm not going into that.

Radiation levels in Tokyo's tap water are back down.

Figured out this one again the other day because the U.S. news does not differentiate between cities and prefectures in Japan. It is true that people are being urged in the Tokyo prefecture to leave, but this is not necessarily extending to the city of Tokyo. Understand though that this is still not an order. Citizens were encouraged to leave before, but as some may remember from the whole Katrina fiasco in the States, people don't always listen to suggestions. Therefore, although it is not required for these people to leave, they have been asked once again to leave the area for safety precautions.

For the sake of understanding what's going on, let's refer to a little map of Tokyo. This is 東京都 (Toukyou-to) the Tokyo metropolitan area. It has 23 wards. These wards are big. When I say big, I mean, quite huge actually. Each of these can practically be considered a city in and of themselves. And in fact they are. They govern themselves, and they have all the statuses of a city. The only difference is that the water, electricity, emergency personnel, sewage, etc. are handled by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Therefore, although they are cities, they are also not. For practicalities sake, all of these can be considered wards 区 (-ku) of the major Tokyo metropolitan area. The heart of the city is focused in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Minato, and Chuuou.

To the west of the 23 wards, are numerous cities, towns etc. They can collectively be called the Tama region. These are all considered to be in the prefecture of Tokyo.

Finally, further west than this is the district of Nishitama. Most of this land is mountainous and uninhabitable. It comprises just three towns: Hinode, Mizuho, and Okutama. It also includes the village of Hinohara.

Tokyo also includes several islands. I'm not going to go into them. It will take me all day, and to be honest, it's not my specialty.

Hopefully this will clear things up a bit.

Michelle

Of a Hero

Sorry. I wanted to add one more article today for everyone to look at. This one is sad but definitely worth a read. It's about a firefighter in one of the Japanese towns which was hit by the tsunami.

Fire bridge members in tsunami-ravaged town stood ground until the end
東日本大震災：鳴らし続けた半鐘•••消防団11人死亡•不明

Of a Return to Normalcy?

Not quite so. Those here in Japan right now are trying their hardest to return to normal life. Companies are attempting to stay open, people are going to work, and students are preparing to start school again, but things aren't quite normal. In fact, they definitely aren't normal. Companies are closing around 6, even here in Kansai where the power outages have not been put in place. Workers are still staying home sometimes, finding it difficult to get to work, or their companies are asking them to do work from home. Students, despite getting ready for school, still have the feeling in the back of their minds that their classes might be delayed. And some even know that their classes are delayed. Those of us in Kansai aren't really sure how to react. We watch our neighbors up in Kantou and Touhoku suffer power outages, etc. We hear of food shortages, possible radiation, but yet we're - at least directly - unaffected. The collections for the earthquake and tsunami continue, but we all wish we could do a bit more.

Possibly the first US death was identified the other day. It was a young woman, serving as a JET here in Japan. She had stayed at school despite people telling her to leave. Her reason? She felt that she had to make sure her students all made it home safely. After the last one left with their parents, she started to bike home. Around 10 or 15 minutes later, the tsunami hit.

To those that fled Japan or fled to safe-havens, they are finding it difficult to return to work. Their coworkers are ostracizing them for abandoning their community when they were needed the most. It's a shame. On one hand, you completely understand their flight. They wanted to ensure their safety and reassure their families and friends as well. On the other hand, those people that fled would have been extremely useful in helping to rescue survivors, hand out food and supplies, or just generally help the community with whatever it needed.

Those in Tokyo have been advised not to give their infants (less than a year old) tap water for fear of radioactive iodine. That requirement does not hold for anyone older.

Here in Kyoto, classes at Rits will start up in just 13 days. The placement test for Japanese level is in 8. I'm studying for the JLPT, hoping that will also count as studying for this placement test. Those around me are also job hunting. The job hunting process has been delayed as well, which is rather telling of the effect of this disaster. I'm actually considering buying some job hunting books. When you apply to a company here, like many in the States, you take a test that is extremely similar to the SAT or ACT. These tests are basically full of math that you have not used in years, language skills, problem and puzzle solving. Since I'm planning to come back here to work, I'll likely have to take these. I looked at some online, and they are helpful, but I'll be honest, I haven't done some of these things since high school, and even middle school if you consider word analogies. Anyway, the point of this is that the books are not only helpful for preparing for those tests, but they also help me to learn and use words that I might not use normally.

I've been keeping up with the U.S. news recently and there seems to be this fear that the radiation from Japan will reach the U.S.' West Coast. I admit, I'm a little upset by the whole matter. There have been so many people who have died from this quake. The estimates for the initial cost of the quake alone to infrastructure is in the hundred billions. I believe I saw 300 bil on the WSJ yesterday? There are even people who survived the quake only to die in the shelters from the cold and starvation. I know of course that this is not the majority of the population, and that this also extends to people out in Europe, parts of Asia, etc. but all some of these people can think about is how they might possibly be exposed to a tiny amount of radiation. With everything that's going on here, it's frankly just upsetting to see that it's come to this. To all those news sources that are supplying the nonsense, or the chain letters fueling the panic, I'd just like to point out that if you don't have anything constructive to say, then perhaps you shouldn't say anything at all?

So moving back to the original topic of this post. When will the return to normalcy occur? Weeks? According to news sources, it looks like most of the important work of dealing with the nuclear reactor will take another couple weeks. Months? It will certainly take that long to continue to build houses. Years? For the Japanese economy and for those who have lost everything, it will definitely take years. Just like the earthquake that occurred in Kobe in 1995, this earthquake will haunt people's memories. So, therefore, the complete return to normalcy? Perhaps never. People will remember what happened to their family, friends, and complete strangers as they made frantic phone calls while watching their tvs or listening to their radios.

But Japan survived, and even thrived after the atomic bombs. It rebuilt Kobe after the earthquake. The Japanese have proven they can overcome seemingly impossible hardships in the past, and so, with time, they too can overcome this one. It certainly won't be easy, but by no means is it impossible. This earthquake will live on as a horrible tragedy, but it will also be learned from and used to develop new methods to protect people in the future.

Of a Quick Update

Hello all,

Just sending out a quick post. First off, in reply to yesterday's post. I want to semi-correct something. Although Sendai is definitely in northern Japan, there is a Sendai reactor down in southern Japan. However, that Shibuya Eggman thing is still nonsense.

Power has been restored to all of the reactors.

Of More Absurd Reporting

In classic style, the news has blown me away yet again.

My personal favorites of the day are "Radiation Over U.S. is Harmless, Officials Say" from the NY Times. It goes on to describe in great detail how there is a "radioactive plume" over the U.S. and it uses the word "plume" no less than 8 times in the entire article, I counted.

Another one featured from CNET the other day was "Where are the robots in Japan's nuclear crisis?" It then goes on with virtually no facts whatsoever but a perceived logical argument that because Japan is a modern high-tech country robots should be handling this crisis and not people. However, it also gives a reason why robots are impossible at the moment.

Rampant throughout the States right now is this "people are wearing masks to avoid radiation" theory. It's also untrue. People wear masks when they get sick. There's a lot of people in Japan. And those people don't like to be coughed, sneezed, etc. on. Therefore, you wear a mask. The only thing this is revealing is that there is bad case of colds or hay fever in Japan at the moment.

And then finally, my all-time favorite is Fox News' latest mistake. They released this map the other day, clearing pointing out a nuclear reactor in the middle of Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, titled the Shibuya Eggman. The best part of this: That's a concert hall. Even better? If you go to the Eggman's website, it says, "Shibuya Eggman has no nuclear plant. Our electricity's powered only by music."I'd also like to point out that Sendai is definitely in northern, not Southern Japan.

EDIT:
There is a Sendai in Southern Japan, but the one we've been referencing has been in the north.

Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/world/asia/22plume.html?_r=1
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20044970-1.html

Of March 21

So I should probably have something to report about the reactors today. Let's see. They're cooling down. And some radioactive iodine was supposedly found as well in the air, but this should be solved quickly hopefully. The amount is minimal, but it's not sure what effect it will have.

It also apparently was a national holiday today. I know this because things were either closed or closed exceptionally early. It think it was the spring solstice.

In other news, I had delicious sushi today. And it was delicious. A nice assortment and for a reasonable price as well down by Loft.

Michelle

Of News

So I decided it's time to change the blog titles, or people will never be able to navigate anything later.

I woke up this morning and for the first time since the quake hit, Japan was not on the front page of every English paper. This means either that Japan has ceased to provide interesting news to the rest of the world or bigger news has come along. Today, it was entirely focused on Libya again. I actually had to go to Japanese newspapers to learn anything. And it looks like things are still improving. The recovery process is slow, but starting soon, houses will be built for those displaced by the quake and tsunami.

In bad news, trace amounts of radiation were found in some spinach and milk from the Fukushima region. In the good news, the radiation that was found is not harmful to people. To give people an idea of this, you would receive far more radiation on the plane flight overseas than you would in what is currently being detected. Obviously, caution continues though.

I found something that should never be shared in polite conversation the other day, but something that I think is still somewhat cute. This is how Japan is explaining the nuclear crisis to its children. Nuclear Boy

If you didn't appreciate that, go to the Prayforjapan.jp link on the right. It will make you cry instead.

Today CNET featured a completely absurd article just for the record. Which was, "Where are the Robots in Japan's Nuclear Crisis?" I'm not even joking. It was the most bogus article I've ever read. It basically amounted to "Japan is a high-tech society. We've seen that they have robots in the past. They should use robots to fix the nuclear reactors." No, CNET, no. Not you too. Don't make up things just because you have stereotypes of another country. It's not accurate, and it's definitely not news.

I sent off another friend last night with some karaoke. To Laura, I'll miss you dearly. You better come back to Japan, and if not, I'll see you in the future either in Japan, the States, or Ireland!

My friends made fun of me of course because we took a cab home, and I made friends with the taxi driver. I can't do the whole sit quietly in the cab thing. It's awkward. You're like a foot apart. You should make conversation. Imagine, all he does is sit in his cab all day and everyone else ignores him. Do your duty, blame it on being foreign if you have to, but at least cheer up his day.

Michelle

Earthquake 11

I'm hoping this is one of the last posts with this title. Of course recovery will be a long process of years, but it's expected that the nuclear reactor will be under control soon. They are finally making progress.

After poisoning the reactor with boron and seawater, then using helicopters to dump seawater, and finally firetrucks, the end of the mess may finally be in sight. In reactors 1-4, the temperature has dropped below 100 C. Cables were successfully laid to reactors 1,2, and 3 today at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. It is hoped that the power through these will be able to support the cooling systems. Reactors 4-6 will have cables laid tomorrow. It is possible though that 5 and 6 may also have cables laid today though, but making sure that the reactors are safe is the first priority. According to Touden's Equipment Department, "We cannot say for certain if everything is better because we must check to make sure that there is not even one piece of equipment that does not work properly." Which is plain and non-Japanese English basically means, "Things are getting better, but we don't want to raise spirits too high yet because we want to make sure that everything is right first."

Also, MIT has made a lovely website to help everyone understand. It's in definitely more advanced scientific English, but if you have the time and you want to fully understand what's going on, go there. It's in the sources below.

To another day and the gradual improvement of the situation in Japan.

Michelle

Sources:
１・２号機へ送電復旧、１９日にも　福島第一原発　(Asahi Shinbun)
１～４号機「表面温度100度以下に」　防衛相が発表 (Nikkei)
３号機に注水成功　官房長官「一定の安定状態に」 (Nikkei)
MIT NSE Nuclear Information Hub

Earthquake 10

Today marks one week since the great 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan on March 11. I looked up at the clock today, and it was a little surreal, since it was exactly 2:46 p.m., the time when the earthquake hit last Friday. My friend's boyfriend who was in Sendai during the quake was with us, and he looked up and was also a little uneasy. It seems that most of the clocks up there are stuck at 2:46.

We went out last night to grab a couple drinks at our local bar, celebrate that he was still alive, and reflect on everything that's happened. Since that time a week ago, Japan has experienced the tsunami, countless smaller earthquakes, and the nuclear threat. Oddly enough, something good has come out of this though. People in neighborhoods, etc. have become much closer, and there's a sense of community that perhaps wasn't there before. Last semester, I felt as if I was in Japan purely to study and to perhaps make a few good friends along the way. Now though, I've come to think of Japan as another home. People on the streets who before wouldn't talk to you are now not only willing to strike up a conversation, but they want to share their experiences and know your thoughts as well. Everyone is supporting each other, and for that reason, I'm thankful. If it wasn't for that, I don't know how Japan could have survived the disasters.

The nuclear threat is of course ever-present and it's the topic of conversation among everyone throughout the country. They have continued to pour water on the reactors and pools from the air, but this has not necessarily been successful. Right now, they are focusing on trying to return power to the plant in an effort to restart the automatic cooling systems. Considering these were damaged in the quake and subsequent tsunami, it is not known yet whether this will be successful, but it is the main goal. Of course, in the back of their minds, they are considering encasing the plant in sand and concrete in order to prevent further radiation escaping.

The Touhoku region is slowly recovering. Roads are being rebuilt, and electricity and running water are gradually being restored. People are still without homes though, so they are continuing to stay in evacuation centers like schools gyms, etc. They are still rationing food and water though. People are eating half an onigiri (rice ball) for lunch. Gasoline has run out, and kerosene, which they're using to heat the homes, is also dwindling. Despite the shortages, everyone is donating to try to help. Apparently there's a company now willing to take up goods by truck, so I'll investigate that and try to donate goods such as paper cups, miso, water, etc. which they desperately need. If that doesn't seem to work, then we can continue to donate organizations such as the Red Cross, etc. Konbini, schools, everyone is trying to raise funds for the north. It's nice to feel as if we're able to help a little bit.

I read something earlier, which was really touching. I wanted to share it with everyone so they could see Japan's thoughts on the disasters and how everyone is dealing with it. This site is a collection of those tweets:
Prayforjapan.jp

So to all those helping, I wanted to say thank you. Even if you can't afford to give anything to the cause, your prayers or thoughts are enough. Thank you again, and we'll all get through this together.

Michelle

Earthquake 9

Kyoto is still fine. Kansai is still fine. I'm aware of the 50 m radius that the US State Department has recommended people to evacuate from, but Kyoto is nowhere near that. Not even Sendai, which is in the Touhoku region, is in that. That includes parts of Yokohama, Tokyo, Nagoya, etc. We are still fine here.

University e-mailed me today recommending students should "strongly consider" coming home, but they linked to that link, though I'm wondering if they read it themselves. Since I'm personally several HUNDRED miles away, it's more than a little irritating. I'll continue to stay here where I'm safe.

Of course, I'm not being foolish. I've checked every news site known to man (that I consider reliable) and have re-registered with the State Dept (since they seem to have lost my info the first time) and am swamped with news media. No worries there. This is of course an informed decision, and it will continue to be so.

For a quick update to all those concerned:
Kansai cannot devote power to Kantou. This is because the Kansai region is on a 50 watt German system while the Tokyo region is on a 60 watt American system. There are places which can convert power, but it's only around 1,000 watts a day.
I still expect us to get some power rationing though since we've been urged to not use too much.

Management of the plant might be turn more toward American forces. TEPCO and the SDF are still trying their best.

Again, everything is fine here. Thank you for worrying about me, and please stay away from the sensational journalism that is causing unnecessary panic.

Michelle

Earthquake 8

I'm surprised that somehow we've gotten to number 8 of these posts. Eventually I feel like I should give them a new name, but by this time it's sort of a them, and I suppose it helps all of you to keep track since some days I post twice and some days I only post once. Anyway, that's really beside the point.

Woke up this morning to find another another blast and another fire. The radiation temporarily rose high enough by the reactor that workers withdrew. 50 workers remained to manage the plant. A helicopter was going to pour water into the pools to decrease the temperature, but the radiation level directly above the reactor was high, so the helicopter withdrew. They will try again tomorrow. The fire was brought under control and the pressure and radiation has decreased again so that they can work on it, but we are very thankful to those workers.

Of things that are currently irritating:
1. The decision by Americans on the West Coast to buy iodine tablets because they are afraid of radiation. Kyoto, which is in Japan, is safe. Therefore, you are are a thousand miles away are also safe. Northern Japan needs them. Please donate.
2. The sensationalist journalism that is currently happening abroad. This is only serving to scare people, and is creating mass panic. Stop that newspapers. If we can be calm in the middle of this, then so can the people halfway around the world. Provide news and not rumors please.
3. A bunch of British scientists came over to Japan to try to help. They made it to their embassy to go do some last-minute paperwork and their embassy rejected them, saying it was too dangerous and for them to return home. Anyone who is willing to help should be able to. I understand right now there are shortages of things in northern Japan, and so that does not mean everyone should come and help. However, people such as scientists who can solve the problem should be welcomed, and not prohibited by their own government.

There are shortages in Tokyo and other regions of basic necessities such as bottled water, toilet paper, etc. Although these things are without a doubt needed, I urge you to talk to your local Red Cross of other chapter instead. Donating money which can be directed toward the item most needed at the time is more helpful.

In other news, this has been making the rounds on Twitter. I thought I'd post it here just so people could see.
国民感情一覧w - (A summary of the nation's current sentiments)
東電職員頑張れ (Touden Staff: Do your Best)
枝野は寝ろ (Edano: Get some sleep)
管は起きろ (Kan: Wake up)
自衛隊は食べろ (Japanese Self Defense Forces: Eat/Pass out Food)
フジテレビは自重しろ (Fuji TV: Step back! You're too close)
石原黙ってろ (Ishihara: Be quiet)

Thank you to everyone who is continuing to help. We really do appreciate everything you are doing here. Let's all work hard and solve this matter together.

Michelle

Sources:
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0316/TKY201103160330.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/japan-nuclear-crisis-americans-buy-anti-radiation-pills/story?id=13142674
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12756366

Earthquake 7

You know, sometimes I don't feel like updating this. I normally enjoy updating the blog, but when it continues to be about the quake, it is heart-rending.

Another explosion today, and a fire. Both were brought under control. The radiation level briefly peaked, but was brought down again swiftly.

NHK continues its documentaries on how nuclear reactors work. It's helpful.

Heard from a friend's boyfriend today. He lives in Sendai as a JET; he is trying to come down to Kyoto. Also heard from another friend whose family is from Sendai. One of them is injured, and it seems as if they've lost everything. I wish I could do something to help.

Kyoto is still safe.

Going to go to bed now.

Michelle

Earthquake 6

No real news today. Another blast in one of the reactors, but no changes it seems outside.

The scheduled blackouts are affecting central Tokyo tomorrow. They were delayed today which caused some confusion (how you manage to delay a planned blackout, I have no idea, but nevertheless, they were delayed). However, I don't think they'll be delayed again. The government has said it will only affect the Kantou region, but I have a feeling it make affect the Kansai region eventually. These are supposed to go through April. We will see what happens.

In other news, structurally, Japan looks fine with the exception of northern Japan of course. Underneath the surface is where you start to notice things that aren't quite normal. Lines are closed for some subways and trains, even here in the Kansai region. One of the trains from Osaka the other day was just shut down to save power. They're trying to do it to prevent an unplanned blackout among other reasons. Lights are off in major cities in places they would never be off normally. I saw a shot of Ginza tonight that was almost black. It's a stark contrast from the Ginza before the earthquake.

Although I cannot force you, I urge everyone to help in any way they can. Please check if your local Red Cross chapter is sending anything over to Japan. Food, water, and blankets are needed in the shelters.

Thank you again for all of your help, and I'll keep all of you updated.

Michelle

Earthquake 5

The nuclear evacuation zone expanded to 20 km. People have been going to safe houses and have been given iodine in case of radiation. Though we are being assured that it is still not at levels that will imperil humans.

A second reactor has started to have cooling issues. They released steam in the air to lower the pressure as well. Both reactors are planning to be cooled with seawater and boric acid. We have been assured that this is the best and safest method considering the circumstances.

There will be the chance of periodic blackouts throughout the country, but especially in Tokyo in order to donate more power to managing both the reactors and the relief efforts.

According to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, there is a 70% chance of an M7 earthquake in the next 3 days.

Relief efforts are going well.

I'm really wishing I could go participate in relief efforts, but right now all roads are closed with the exception of to emergency vehicles. The Japanese Special Defense Forces (SDF) have been deployed, and other countries have also donated people and help to the cause. For now, all we can do is donate.

Everyone I know here is safe. I thank everyone again for their concern and I ask you to keep everyone, especially those in northern Japan in their thoughts.

Michelle

Earthquake 4

To everyone,

First of all, I am completely safe. So is Taisuke and his family. My friends are also fine. No worries. Life in Tokyo has resumed as normal, and everything else is continuing as normal. This is limited for the moment to Fukushima prefecture which is in the northern part of the main island.

When I went to bed, three of the nuclear plants were unstable. One of those was stabilized overnight. They are currently trying to cool the remaining two. There was an explosion at one of the plants. A press conference was just held. Not all information is available. When it is available, we will be notified. For right now, this is what was in the press conference.

If you are near the Fukushima-Daiichi Plant, do not go within 10 km of the plant. Wear a mask and do not expose your skin to the air. If you don't have a mask, put something over your mouth. Wear clothes that cover the skin. Don't eat or drink anything that has not been approved by the rescue team. Do not go outside.

To the media, stop using helicopters which are disturbing the residents. Also please check all facts before you report them. Reporting falsities will only increase fear in the public.

Stop also sending chain mails that warn of radioactive rain, etc. These are false and they are only creating generalized panic in the public. The government is being forthcoming with information and there is no need for these.

Due to the needs of the rescue effort, there will be some limits on power in Japan. Some parts of Japan may experience a loss or reduction of power, especially in the Tokyo area. If this is the case, you will be notified. In the meantime, turn off all unnecessary electronics.

Experts are currently deciding the best course of action. Damage only occurred at the first plant. The second one is still ok, but evacuation will continue there. It is around 10 km away from the first plant.Those living in the area should evacuate or go to a safe place.

At the moment, only those in the area are expected to be exposed.

For anyone who does not understand Japanese, or who has Facebook, information will continue to be released at Earthquake updates for foreigners in Japan-日本にいる外国人のための情報- on Facebook. (This was used as a source as well)

Pictures are currently being shown of before and after shots. The air around looks slightly gray.

That is all at the moment. Kyoto and the rest of Japan are still completely fine. In order to prevent tying up lines for people that actually need the help in northern Japan, I urge you to pay attention to the news instead. If you are searching for people, please reference the Google page on the below post. Wall Street Journal has been relatively accurate recently. NY Times has been accurate but perhaps over-sensationalized. CNN has not been accurate nor have some of the other more common US news sources.

People are being rescued throughout the area and taken to other prefectures and other safe places.

Again, Kyoto is completely fine. Please remain calm. I am not currently in any danger. Tokyo is not expected to be in any danger either.

Take care everyone, and I'll give information as I receive it.

Michelle

Earthquake 3

Watching the news right now, so I can't type too much right now. I just figured I'd give a quick update. The death toll is up to 1000 from the earthquake, tsunami, etc.

Here is a map with all of the earthquake, evacuation info, etc.
Japan Earthquake 2011

The US is delivering coolant to Japan. We have no idea when it will arrive though.

There were three nuclear reactors that were in a state of emergency. One was stabilized overnight. The other two are trying to be cooled, but they are having difficulties. These are located in Fukushima prefecture. They are currently cooling it with water and other cooling materials while they release the steam, whether this will be ultimately successful or not remains to be seen.

A few minutes ago a the sound of an explosion was heard at one of the plants. The meaning has not yet been released. People are being told to remain in their houses.

For everyone's benefit, I have listed some links.
Japan's Industry of Trade Economy and Industry has released a summary of the damage. It includes information on the damage from the earthquake and also information on the status of the nuclear reactors (prior to the explosion). MEXT Summary

Google has released a Crisis Response page. This has information on the earthquake, tsunami, and trains. It is also available in Japanese. Google Japan 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami Crisis Response

NHK TV is currently giving a live broadcast. It is only in Japanese, but feel free to watch.
NHK TV Live Broadcast （日本語）

Right now, everyone should not worry. There are many people who live here in Japan, and everyone is doing their best. For now, just keep everyone in their thoughts.

Michelle

Earthquake 2

Quick update:

The death toll due to the earthquake is at 93 due to the National Police Agency on Asahi News.

200~300 bodies have been found in Miyagi prefecture, where Sendai is located due to the tsunami.

444 buildings have been completely destroyed so far, and the numbers continue.

Everyone that I know of is fine.

It seems like power is slowly being restored in the Tokyo area. I'm not sure about the others. Sendai may still be out of power though, which is bad because it seems that it's started snowing there.

The fire is still out of control in Chiba prefecture.

Phone and internet connection is still unstable.

Source:
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0311/TKY201103110628.html

Earthquake

I apologize for the delay in updating, but I felt that it was due especially considering recent news.

Today, on March 11, a major earthquake struck Japan, registering an 8.9 on the Richter scale near the epicenter. It was around 10 kilometers deep, located on a sinking tectonic plate. It registered at an 8.4 in Sendai, which is in northern Honshu (the main island). In Chiba prefecture, an oil refinery caught on fire and the flames are reportedly several meters tall. They are still battling them.  At Tokyo Tower, which shook from the quake, the earthquake was measured at a 6. But in the rest of Tokyo, it was said to be at a 5 magnitude. In Tokyo's waterfront Odaiba district, a building caught on fire. Storefronts in Yokohama were seen collapsing.

In Japan, where buildings are under strict requirements to be resistant to these types of earthquakes, it is rare to see buildings shake so badly and rarer still to see the Japanese so excited about it. But this is the biggest earthquake to hit Japan this century.

It seems that most of the damage was done in the aftershocks though, which triggered landslides, destroyed older buildings, and caused widespread reports of tsunamis. Sendai experienced a tsunami up to 10 meters tall. Much of the airport has been wiped out, and a whirlpool is fast developing. Tokyo experienced a tsunami that was a couple meters.

The death toll stands right now at 29. Most people seem to be ok, but there are obviously reports of injuries, etc. The trains, Shinkansen, buses, subways, etc. have all stopped. Power has shut off in Tokyo to prevent fires, and phone service is limited. It seems as if messages go through every now and then, but none of the calls are possible. The nuclear reactors also around the country have shut down, thank goodness due to failsafes.

I'll give more information as it comes.

Michelle