Dealing with an ongoing crisis.

It has been eighteen days since the triple disaster here in Japan.

Dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami would be by far enough on their own. However, the crippled Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant only adds to the grief and stress for all and makes relief efforts all the more difficult for the victims of this disaster as well as for the aid workers. Our main house will have to be torn down, due to the damage caused by the earthquake, it is no longer safe to be lived in and be on repair now. Saving the building would exceed the cost of building a new house by several million yen. The recent events force us to tear down the old buildings as soon as possible. Never the less, we are still very fortunate since we did not lose any one in our family nor have we lost our property (land) or car in the earthquake, just a lot of material damage so far. Why it is important for us to focus on helping those that lost loved ones and their livelihood before worrying about rebuilding our own place.

After, I saw the extend of the damage in the Prefectures of Chiba, Ibaraki and Fukushima for my self, it was far be on what one could imagine to be possible, no TV nor any pictures can possible show the extend of this disaster or the conditions in which the people find them self in now, especially the smell in some areas is gruesome. The worth may very well be the still out of control nuclear power plant, that leaks massive amount of radiation and contaminates our food and ground water be on safe levels. I urge the government and all aid organisations to focus on the children and pregnant woman first and to get them out of the most affected areas now, and keep them out until this problem is under control after which they may all return once the radiation are below a safe level. We need to find foster homes and convince people to adopt those children that find them self orphaned due to this earthquake and tsunami. We also need to educate people to overcome their cultural or traditional barriers, so that those children do not find them self extradited or isolated for being orphaned and for having been exposed to radioactive contaminations, as it was the case for the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I saw people refusing to drive much needed fuel or food to Fukushima because they where afraid of radiation, even though I can understand the fear, we need to be rational and help those we can. It saddens me to see such lack of empathy, compassion and solidarity by so many in this crisis.

Even though, I have to command the Japanese overall, would this have happen in the US or France, we would have riots by now and more people would have been killed due to civil unrest then by the disaster it self.

Still, we need to do much more and help where ever we can and when ever we can. As of today, we have 10,901 confirmed dead and still 17,840 missing. On top of that, many are now dying due to lack of heat, medication and due to excessive stress.

This is mainly why I resigned my position in Narita. I will now work mainly in Ibaraki, Fukushima and Chiba so I may be able to better help those most affected and I hope that we will be able to convince people to take in children, especially those that are now orphaned so they may have some kind of normality again.

These times demand to be open minded and they demand solidarity from all. There is no room left for selfishness or self-pity.

The worth part in all this, is the lack of understanding of the gravity of this nuclear accident by some of the companies and entrepreneurs that are already engaged in talks to build nine more nuclear power plant around Japan. Not one of those politician, entrepreneurs or stockholders has set foot on the site of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, nor will they ever do so. Their houses are far enough from those plants so that they may not have to worry too much.

In a country such as Japan, with countless hot springs and volcanoes it is inconceivable why we do not have geothermal energy plants making full use of the gifts that nature gave us.

Such as is the case in Iceland, where the high concentration of volcanoes in the area is used as an advantage in the generation of geothermal energy, the heating and production of electricity. During winter, pavements near these areas (such as Reykjavík and Akureyri) are heated up.

Five major geothermal power plants exist in Iceland, which produce approximately 24% (2008) of the nation's energy. In addition, geothermal heating meets the heating and hot water requirements of approximately 87% of all buildings in Iceland. Apart from geothermal energy, 75.4% of the nation’s electricity was generated by hydropower, and only 0.1% from fossil fuels. Consumption of primary geothermal energy in 2004 was 79.7 petajoules (PJ), approximately 53.4% of the total national consumption of primary energy, 149.1 PJ. The corresponding share for hydropower was 17.2%, petroleum was 26.3%, and coal was 3%. Plans are underway to turn Iceland into a 100% fossil-fuel-free nation in the near future. 

Japan could certainly match Iceland its power production with geothermal energy and achieve the same goals as Iceland strives to by generating 100% of its energy production with renewable energies giving its location and geological configurations.

This sort of proposal is not new either here in Japan, since several experts over the past decade have wondered why Japan is persisting in using nuclear energy and other fossil fuels when it has such an abundance of natural geothermal energy just waiting to be used.
Wake up Japan!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3345616/Harness-volcano-power-energy-experts-say.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_science

http://thinkgeoenergy.com/archives/4823

How you can help Japans earthquake victims.

Here are some links and addresses where you can donate to help all the victims of Japans triple disaster.
Saitama super dome is the place where to register for volunteer work.
Earthquake donation centres.
Most City halls will take volunteer applications as well as the Japanese Red Cross.

Charity for Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

NHK, Central Community Chest of Japan (CCCJ), The Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) and NHK Public Welfare Organization have organized a charity for the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.

If you wish to make your cash donation to be distributed directly among the affected population of the disaster, please see the following homepage of The  Japanese Red Cross Society for the bank account information.

JAPANESE RED CROSS SOCIETY - Japan/Earthquake Donation
http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/Vcms4_00002070.html

or visit JRC's english top  http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/
and click "11/03/14 Japan Earthquake Donation" under the category of "Emergency Relief."

All the fund received under this account will be transferred to the Distribution Committee, which is formed around the local governments of the disaster-affected prefectures and to administer the distribution of fund.

Thank you very much for your kind thoughts. 



For further information, please see links below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO2Hv0cu5_4

Donating to the Ibaraki Prefectural Disaster Recovery Fund: http://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/bukyoku/seika n/kokuko/en/data/donate.pdf
Ibaraki Prefecture donations contact information:
Phone 81-29-301-2862
Email kokuko@pref.ibaraki.Ig.jp
Fukushima Prefecture International Affairs Division web site:
http://www.pref.fukushima.jp/kokusai/IAD website/internationalprojects.htm
International Affairs Division, Fukushima Prefectural Government
2-16 Sugitsumacho,
Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan 960-8670
Phone: 81-024-521-7182
Email kokusai@pref.fukushima.jp
Miyagi Prefecture web English information:
http://www.pref.miyagi.jp/english/
Government International Affairs Division
3-8-1 Honcho Aoba-ku,
Sendai, Miyagi 980-8570
Phone: 81-022-211-2972
Email kokusai@pref.miyagi.jp
Iwate Prefecture Culture and International Relations Division
http://www.pref.iwate.jp/~hp0312/gaikoku gomokuji/info/information.htm
Culture and International Relations Division
Iwate Prefectural Government
10-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, JAPAN
Phone 81-19-629-5336
Email FA0042@pref.iwate.jp

Magnitude 9.0 Earthquake strikes Japan

As the earthquake struck, I was working in our school, at first it seemed like just another earthquake. However, we all realised very quickly that this was going to be a major earthquake, one that will cause some serious damage and claim many lives.

As we left the building after all the students had been evacuated to the sports area, I saw just how powerful this quake was, as it managed to create great waves in the JH schools pool spreading its water ten meters or further away for that swimming pool.

Some of the students where terrified and so where some of the adults as well, even though all are well familiar with earthquakes, this earthquake was generating fear and panic in many.

I am a pragmatist at heard and believe that we should not fear death and I do not fear death it self, especially not if it was to strike me personally. However, I do fear to see others suffer and lose loved one’s or be severely injured.

Once the students where on their way home and the school was closed up, I tried my cell phone and e-mail as well text messaging system to contact loved one's and friends, expecting the worth and still hoping for the best. Nothing worked though; I just managed to get one twit out. Therefore, I decided to drive back home already fearing that I may not like what I will find. As I took the 51 all seemed normal at first other then a traffic jam, that one was going the other direction though since all tried to move away from the sea shore fearing a tsunami wile I was driving towards that shore since that is where our farm is and where I may find my wife as well.

As I drove suddenly traffic came to halt and those that could left the road and took a detour, soon I fund out why, one of the bridged had been raised by the earthquake creating a road block of sorts. As I looked around I saw fire engines and damaged buildings, that is when I realised that our area was hit much worth then the North of Chiba Kent, the further I drove South the worth it got. What normally takes me less then an hour drive took me well over two hours after the earthquake.

While I drove, I felt the after shocks every now and then and those where strong enough by them self but nothing compared to that initial earthquake.

As I kept on driving, the sun light gave way to the night and I saw no lights on, nor any stores open. The trains where still not moving either. Once I came atop of a hill all was dark as far as I could see, a very unusual sight for the prefecture of Chiba

That was when I realised that we lost power through out a waste area. On the radio finally a broadcast, a tsunami warning or rather that several areas had been hit by a tsunami some with four metre high waves and other with waves much higher, up to ten meters according to the radio station. Now I understood why every one was driving in the opposite direction then I was. Still, I had to get home and find my wife; at least I hoped I would find her there. However, for a moment a thought crossed my mind that I should be prepared not find her or that she may be hurt or even worth. I kept on driving and listening to the radio. It is some what ironic that all our great technology, satellites and gadgets cease to function in such a disaster and that all that remains in operation are some good old fashion FM radio waves and laud speakers. Some more news came through of two nuclear power stations leaking radioactive water and one that is at risk of melt down. As I heard this, I remembered the Chernobyl disaster in the former USSR, I was a chemical student in Germany back then and far away from it, still the radioactive fallout reached us as well, even though it was minimal compared to what the Russian had endured, it was still not something one could shrug off easily either.

Japan is a small country with and very densely populated, another Chernobyl would have far more causalities here then it did in the USSR back in the eighties.

Why in heavens name does any one put nuclear power stations in a country known to be prone for major earthquakes is something I never understood nor will I ever understand it either, there are far safer ways to produce electricity and far more environmentally friendly as well.

Finally I reached our Farm and jumped out the car calling my wife’s name, She was there, alive and well, but in shock and some how traumatised. She wondered how her parent where and then told me that the house was a mess, things all over the place and every thing broken as well. I quickly looked around and assessed the damage as best as I could with a flashlight.

What a mess it was in deed, but the main building was still safe and seemed to be structurally sound as well. 

Therefore, we set out to clean up some of all the broken things to be able to sit down and have some supper.

Fortunately the madjes salad I made the day before was still around since it was in the fridge even though the fridge was no longer where it was suppose to be, its contend was still there and some what okay.

As we had some of that herring and a glass of tea made from the water left in an emergency container, I suddenly remembered the Tsunami.

We have a GPS monitor for the navigation system, however, it can also be used for radio and TV, I asked my wife to find out what was what, since I do not understand every thing that is said especially on a bad reception and she does. The tsunami had already hit land by the time we listen to the latest newscast, fortunately our area was still high enough, but other areas where not so fortunate and many lives where lost. The tsunami claimed far more lives then the initial earthquake did.

A day has passed now; our neighbourhood head and leaders went to every farm to see if all where alive and well. Fortunately, in our community at least, no one was killed, we only lost some buildings and hard ware to the earthquake and that, even if it may not all be replaceable nor will we be able to afford to fix or replace most of it, but at least all where alive.

My wife finally received word from her parents that they where fine, just material losses.

I then set of to the city trying to find a place where I could send a message to my family letting them know that we were okay. I managed to get one message out and hoped that every one else will be notified form that person as well.

Then I had to find some more water since we where still out of electricity and our solar system was down as well. 
Once I got back home more bad news came over the news channel, A major explosion was reported at the Fukushima nuclear plant "number one." The experts did not know what would happen next though. However, the radio active levels reported by NHK where to be at 1051 micro-sieverts, knowing that an X-ray emits between 50 to 100 micro-sieverts, this was not good news at all.
I send a letter to our mayor, that we should organise a relocation program for all those that lost everything, so that they may at least have shelter again and wont have to live in tents or gymnasiums, especially the elders and youngest segment of the victims being the most vulnerable, and knowing that time is of essence to prevent further victims we need to be solidarian and work together now. There are still many empty building standing even in the the areas hit by the earthquake that need to be re-a-located by decree if necessary and many families whose homes have not been destroyed have enough room to welcome one or more people for a year or more until things get rebuild. The men that are in good health and strong need to volunteer a month or more to rebuild Japan and employers have to make accommodations to make this possible. 
This earthquake has devastated this area of Japan far be on what any single country, even a country as  highly advanced as Japan can possibly handle. The magnitude of devastation this earthquake has caused on its own. Even with out side help, it will take over a decade to recover from this last earthquake and to rebuild all the infrastructures. 
However, it will be impossible to recover from all the lives lost, for those are not replaceable.

More news will follow, for now that is what has happened here and I hope that the nuclear power plant will be safely powered down. 

"The Fukushima nuclear power plant. The evacuation radius has been raised to twenty kilometres. All safety futures have failed. Only the shell of the plant seems to remain.
Government agency are on high alert and NHK reported that the expert do not know what will happen at this point. The radiation is now at 1051 micro-sieverts"

The Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival.

By, Uwe Paschen.

The Japanese Cherry Blossom festivals.

 In Japan, the Cherry blossom has a very particular and important meaning since the cherry tree is botanically a native of the Japanese Isles.

From an early period, it has been the national tree of Japan. Since the Man’yoshu, the earliest anthology of Japanese poems and songs (7th-9th cent.), down to the present day, the cherry tree has exerted on the Japanese psyche an almost mystical fascination. Most of today’s festivals traditions and poetry started in the Heian Period (794–1191), where poems such as Princess Shokushinnai Shinno – Private Anthology

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“waga iado no   izureno mine no   no hana naran / seki iru taki to   ochite kuru kana are famous."

 "(from what lofty heights

      "come so many blossoms to my hut?

      first as if held back – then,

      unforeseen, this sudden cascade!)”

 Yet, one of the greatest poet was probably Saigyo a Japanese Buddhist priest-poet, one of the greatest masters of the tanka (a traditional Japanese poetic form), whose life and works became the subject matter of many narratives, plays, and puppet dramas. He originally followed his father in a military career, but, like others of his day, he was oppressed by the sense of disaster that overwhelmed Japan as the brilliant imperial court life of the Heian era passed into a period of civil wars in the latter half of the 12th century.

One of his greatest poems still honored today and that most Japanese may know by heard is about the cherry blossom.

“ negawaku wa, hana no motonite haru shinamu, sono kisaragi no mochizuki no koro."


"I pray that I might die beneath the cherry flowers in spring, in the month of February (by the lunar calendar) when the moon is full.”

 Here in Narita as else where in Japan we celebrate our Cherry blossom season as well. Where our temple is, as well as around the City hall, Schools and private houses, all are  surrounded by many Cherry trees now in full bloom.

Giving the eye a feast of natural beauty and harmony.

This season is as a master painting of combining nature’s beauty, seasons, colours and human ingenuity in trying to reflect that beauty in its architectures and temples.

 Some, that have the luxuries of time and financial independence will follow the Cherry blossoms through out Japan going from one festival to the next starting in the southern Islands of Kumejima followed by Odaiba, Sado and ending all the way North on Okushiri Island.

 The list of places and Islands is rather long, other then the five main Islands, with in each are  many places worth visiting in the Cherry blossom season as well as in other seasons.

 For us here the first festival in Chiba took place at the end of March in Tateyama, followed by Narita today wish will be followed for us by Nikko, (named a World heritage site by the UN) in two weeks.

 An almost two most long festivity since Japan is blessed with five climate zones, from the most Northern Island to the most Southern Island. Making the Cherry blossom trail a real adventure of sorts and a dream for many to look forward to undertake one day.

 The Hanami (cherry blossom viewing party)

 http://gojapan.about.com/cs/cherryblossoms/a/sakurafestival.htm

Could Japan become a beacon for the World to follow?

Photos

By, Uwe Paschen.

Is Japan’s change to be a beacon for a World to follow or merely an Isolated move by one bold Nation defying a super power?

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his Party (DPJ) won a historic election in August here in Japan, in part because he called for a review of the 2006 Japanese- U.S. Military agreement. Four DPJ members from Okinawa won parliamentary seats with promises of reducing and even eliminating the U.S. troop presence on the island. 

Denny Tamaki is one of Okinawa's parliament ministers. He says they won because voters believed they could achieve what the previous administration could not. That includes resolving the issue of U.S. military bases in Okinawa. Tamaki wants Futenma's marines and training facilities off the island altogether. In addition, polls show his constituents overwhelmingly support that view.

In a recent poll by one of Japan's national newspapers, nearly 70 percent of Okinawans said they opposed moving Futenma to another part of the island. The same percentage think Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama should negotiate with the U.S. to move Futenma out of the prefecture and the country altogether.


Japan may want the U.S. bases out and stop collaborating with U.S. military endeavours. Japan does however not want to escape its international responsibilities. "Our contribution to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan is great and will increase" as Mr. Fujisaki said, “Yes, We have been number two in the world for reconstructions of Iraq. Number one being United States, of course. In Afghan we are number three.”

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said he wants the U.S. bases to be moved off Okinawa, even out of Japan altogether

Japan's defence minister Mr. Toshimi Kitazawa said Thursday last, that rules governing the U.S. troop presence on Okinawa Island were “humiliating” For Japan. He further stated that “to build a new relationship that meets the requirements of the new era instead of getting mired in fears of offending them,”

The Minister also announced that Japan will cancel the purchase of U.S. Military Jets, specifically the F-35 and look for suppliers out side the U.S. as he said "our choice is wide open to other options, of non-American-made jets.”

Japan’s taxpayers fell that they should no longer have to neither pay for the U.S. bases nor tolerate the U.S. presence that has been continuously increasing in cost since 1948.

Kiroku Hanai, a former editorial writer for a vernacular newspaper, writes that Japan has to stop paying for the U.S. military and force the U.S. to withdraw and close all U.S. bases on Japanese soil.

"Japan is not ashamed of its Pacifistic constitution and its desire to hold on to it."

"Policing the World is not a task for the U.S. or any other supper power, but rather for a strong U.N." Mr. Hatoyama said. He did also evoke that war was not the anther to our international conflicts. 

“My grandfather Ichiro, then Prime Minister, was an advocate of the concept of yu-ai, or "fraternity". This yu-ai is a way of thinking that respects one's own freedom and individual dignity while also respecting the freedom and individual dignity of Others. “

Japan is most definitely moving in a new direction whose signs are clearly laid out by stopping all Military collaboration with the U.S. refueling program and moving the money saved in those military program into Humanitarian aid instead.

Further Japan has send out a clear message to the U.S. and other Western Nations as Japan’s foreign Minister said in October that “Tokyo's new way of contributing to the effort in Afghanistan will be in the form of humanitarian aid, which will include training former Taliban soldiers.”

Japan's new government has vowed to pursue a foreign policy independent of the U.S. and it is clear by now that this is well under way and to be a new reality that may force the U.S. to rethink their own political future that lately seems to look a lot like the former U.S.S.R. once did in 1989.

Ironically, the U.S.S.R. back then was struck by a major economic crisis, a never-ending war in Afghanistan and blessed with a President that received the Nobel peace price.

Japan has send the message, laud and clear, the question remaining, is whether the U.S. will hear it and understand it in time.

So far the U.S. have first mocked the changes in Japan, as the changes seemed to prevail though and proved to be real. The U.S. tried threats as well as fear mongering. Wish started with economic pressures, with Statements such as, 'Japan should align it self with its biggest trading partner', namely the U.S., 'if it wanted to remain part of the top producers', to wish Japan responded with diversification and new trade talks with China and other Asian and European partners.

Then came the North Korean card and fear mongering to wish Japan responded equally elegantly by insisting on continued six party negotiations rather then more confrontation.

The time for supper powers seems to be over and a new era has begun, one whose course is not yet fully shaped. Should we be wise or arrogant  will determine this era’s outcome.

Lets hope we find wisdom and move towards peace and co-operation rather them another power struggle for supremacy.

Japan has chosen peace and co-operation as well as the preservation of our Environment over power and dominance.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091110/afghanistan_japan_091009/20091110?hub=World

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120220315&ft=1&f=10

http://www.visionofhumanity.org/news/125/a-return-to-common-sense/