A Report from Japan

The latest today comes from a friend of mine in Japan.  There have been more dire stories, in terms of the nuclear reactor, and the potential spread of radiation.  Still uncertain, I think most of us are of the extent of the radiation, how much has been released, the threat to human health.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-123076988

I've been monitoring the BBC, as well as NHK, and honestly they do a much better job than any of the American networks.  The latter should; it is the public broadcaster in Japan.

This morning, I received word from one of my friends that she and her daughter are okay.  Yumeki is a musician friend of mine; she was inland from Tokyo, so she missed the worst of it.  But Yumeki says things are still bad (her conversion to English is not perfect):

"...I and my family are OK as our addresses are inland provinces of Tokyo area.  Pacific Ocean coastal areas through Japan islands and most particularly from Hokkaido, north-west area, and Kantou (Tokyo)area, those areas were devastated...I have only a limited life-line now on this situation. 

"Scheduled Blackout:  There will be a scheduled blackout (power outage) starting the morning of 3/14 in Tokyo, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka."

"And water and gas combines to unusable without electricity.The blackout of power outrage is forced everyday for some hours.I hope the battery of my laptop and phone will be able to last as long as possible.Supermarkets almost sold foods out,gas stations stock only few of the rest..

And as world already knew now Japan faces prospect of nuclear catastrophe..All the situation seems very insecure.
Actually some of my friends have already escaped to abroad as air craft transportation from Airport Tokyo is being handling as usual that did not influenced."

Not a lot, to be sure.  In any case, as others have noted, it's pretty hard to comprehend, unless you've been in such a disaster yourself.  The nation as a whole is dealing with shortages, no matter how far you are.  Tokyo itself is 155 miles from the Fukushima plant, but it received its own share of the trouble.

So far, the nation has been moving forward, as best it can.  I'm glad Yumeki and her family are all right; I wish the best for the others as well.