Jump to content

Earthquake/tsunami in Tohoku, North East Japan (11th March 2011)


Recommended Posts

Originally Posted By: RobBright
While that is true, people do need warm items, sending items that may have lice or infestations is not the best thing to do is it? confused


I'm not sure how much cultural issues play a role here, but in many parts of Asia 2nd hand stuff has a very low value.

I also believe for some issues there is no real shortage seen overall, it's just that the goods are there, but in the wrong place. It's often a logistical issue in moving them.

From my workings with JP companies I know that they work very strict "just-in-time", which works well in a perfect system. But once there is one small problem in the distribution the system collapses.

It's sounds a bit easy, but the best thing to donate is simply money. And doesn't have to be just brand new notes.
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 2k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

More please!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HrO2H4Sraw   You'd think they might put in some of the overly loud throat noises and he would do a big "ahhhhhhhhhh" at the end. Come on, where's th

And while all this goes on they have workers in the Daichi plant wading around in radiative water in gum boots that are too short....sounds like a problem I'd expect to hear about in a third world country... rolleyes

 

TEPCO....I'm laughing and crying at the same time....

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • SnowJapan Admin

We are more than happy to help, but please can I ask that you send any helpful links to us - either by PM or email - and we will then post them if we feel that they are appropriate.

 

What I am trying to say is - please don't just post links to your mate's blog because he has a link to the Red Cross and other organisations that may help etc... send anything to us and we will consider updating that resource thread. I plan to edit and update that a bit later on.

 

Thank you.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • SnowJapan Admin
Originally Posted By: SJ-David
We are more than happy to help, but please can I ask that you send any helpful links to us - either by PM or email - and we will then post them if we feel that they are appropriate.
Link to post
Share on other sites

All the boys at our kids school at sushi and had boxed juices for lunch yesterday (Harmony Day), all donated by local Japanese restaurants and the Japanese and Japanese-hearted parent community. Kids made a gold coin donation to NOT wear school uniform and also bought their lunch. Apparently very successful - total is still being tallied. So glad they could raise funds in a manner that got the whole community talking and thinking about Japan.

 

I am sure many are personally doing something also - but it was nice that the whole school got behind this.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads
Have you ever heard of email?
It's ever so useful.


I find this new fangled ee-mail thingy it to be most useful, just as long as the chap or chapess I want to communicate with has on of those 'an email number' (as my dad says).
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • SnowJapan Admin
Originally Posted By: Kraut_in_HongKong
yep, found the link. But wonder why one has to input an email address and why the system isn't simply using the logged in ID.


I don't understand that comment. Is that directed to me? What do you mean?

You can simply send us an email to editor@snowjapan.com ---- just exactly as you would send any other email.

Alternatively, you can fill in the form on the following page ---- just as you would fill out any other similar online form:
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/about/contact.html

It's not difficult.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Bags here's an update from the UK's Chief Scientific Adviser, given by phone interview to the British Chamber of Commerce Japan.....

 

Quote:
March 25, 1600hrs

 

British Embassy Briefing for BCCJ Members

 

 

 

In response to members of the British Community who have expressed an interest in receiving regular updates regarding the situation at Fukushima, the British Ambassador to Tokyo, David Warren, and the UK's Chief Scientific Advisor, Sir John Beddington, as well as representatives from the UK’s Health Protection Industry and the Department of Health, held a telephone briefing today at 1600hrs.

 

 

 

Here is a summary of the briefing (please note that this is designed to summarise the briefing for the benefit of BCCJ members and is not an official Embassy transcript):

 

 

 

Reactors: Current Situation

 

Sir John explained that the situation is still extremely serious, but that the Japanese authorities are making quite good progress at keeping things regulated, especially with regards to reactors 5 & 6. He went on to say that the "worst case scenario" imagined by the UK last week, is now very unlikely indeed. Although there is still a cause for concern, Sir John related that there are real indications of some progress. An example of this is that the Japanese have started to substitute seawater with fresh water in the cooling process, which will help the situation, because sea water evaporates more quickly than fresh water. Sir John said that this development is "very good news". Another example of progress is the restoration of power to the reactors.

 

 

 

While steam releases may be worrying to look at, Sir John said that the Japanese authorities are closely monitoring radiation levels and there is no indication of harmful radiation entering the atmosphere, "they are making steady progress". We can't forget about the dangers and are not "out of the woods yet" but there is a definite improvement to the situation. Advisors in the UK and nuclear experts also think that what the Japanese are doing is appropriate.

 

 

 

Water and food: Current Situation

 

Water: The advice being given by the Japanese authorities is sensible and people should follow this advice, Sir John said. He explained that the Japanese are very cautious in comparison to the UK and Europe in general and that any warning levels are based on cautious assumption, and dosage accumulated over a period of time. It is completely safe to wash in the water, he said. There is no need to buy bottled water to bathe children, for example. Also, there is “no point whatsoever†in taking iodine tablets at the moment, as there is no threat and the effects of the tablets only last for 24 hours. If a radioactive plume was due to come over Tokyo, Sir John assured attendees that the British Embassy would give advice about when to take the tablets. Giving the tablets was an "entirely precautionary" measure by the Embassy. The levels of radioactivity that were found in water were below anything we would issue a warning about in the UK, he said. In addition, the warning is based on two whole months of consumption. Sir John reconfirmed that the Japanese authorities "get onto these things within a matter of hours or days" and there is a big level of precaution involved. In conclusion, it is unlikely that something would go amiss for 2 months when the authorities are being so vigilant.

 

 

 

Food: Sir John stated that the basic advice is that people should “absolutely avoid†all food from the affected area. In particular, shellfish and seaweed should be avoided as they accumulate higher levels of radioactivity than other seafood. He said that fish from the area should be avoided too, although fish do not accumulate as much radioactivity. The situation and advice regarding food will be changing as time goes on but Sir John advised; "if in doubt, do not eat it". He mentioned that longer term contamination in the area will be a problem, but that levels of radiation in food are easy to monitor and that this would help the Japanese regulate the situation.

 

 

 

Q: What would be the trigger for current travel advice to be lowered for Brits?

 

Attendees were urged to understand that Embassy travel advice is not predicated on radiation alone "Japan is a disturbed place just now". There is no reason from radioactivity point of view why you couldn't live happily in Tokyo, Sir John said.

 

 

 

Q: What is the area of contamination?

 

The Japanese authorities are taking highly precautionary measures; quite how far the area will spread out cannot be monitored from the UK, said Sir John. Experts in the UK recommend that you follow the Japanese advice. The contaminated area may in fact be wider than the current evacuation area and will probably cover a significant area around the plant, but dependent on wind direction and rainfall. He went on to say that plants will be affected, as will rain and seawater, but is confident that the Japanese authorities will monitor this.

 

 

 

Q: There has been natural cooling in the reactors - how does this affect your outlook?

 

Every day that passes sees a drop in radioactive levels trough natural processes, Sir John said, so "it will get easier over time", but he stressed "I don't think we can relax yet". It will take a matter of weeks before we can relax; the food situation will take longer than a week; the clean up will take several years. As an aside, it was mentioned that clean up depends on the fertility of the soil in the area.

 

 

 

Q: What are the dangers to those living closer to the plant?

 

Sir John said that in the event of a meltdown of reactors, people should stay indoors, take iodine tablets, as directed by the authorities, and follow advice given by the authorities.

 

 

 

Q: Can you comment on Cesium in the water?

 

Authorities will be measuring this but there is no evidence of anything that poses a problem now, said Sir John, however, vegetation could suffer for months.

 

 

 

In conclusion, Sir John urged attendees to use the monitoring being done by Japanese authorities as a guide. He is confident that if there is an alarm, the Japanese will keep people informed. He stressed that he doesn't think the UK’s worse case scenarios are plausible now, but that calculations are continuing to be done every 3 to 4 hours. Finally, Sir John emphasised that he is happy to keep up a dialogue with British nationals in Japan and will make himself available for another briefing next week if desired. For now, the UK will monitor changes, hold regular meetings and keep the Embassy informed

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ta.

I'm sure they will ba showing lots of gambaru.

The whole thing gets scant mention on the mainstream media here now.

Waiting for the next bitbof steam of radiation end of world news to get all excited.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi there new here. Actually I was about to sign up when this lot happened.

I like in Ibaragi right in the middle of lots and lots of earthquakes. It's relentless.

I haven't been here in Japan that long really and had only felt a few smallish ones before two weeks ago.

The last two weeks has just been surreal and by far the scariest time I will ever experience. I was sort of coping well but have been worn down by the daily shaking - just had a few this evening - and need to leave so I will be out on Thursday after I have sorted out a few things.

The heart breaks for what is happening, but if I don't leave, I think my mind will break.

 

Whether I'll be back again or not I don't know but I will need a decent amount of time out before considering that.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote:
Levels of radioactive iodine in the sea near the tsunami-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant are 1,250 times higher than the safety limit, officials say.

The readings were taken about 300m (984ft) offshore. It is feared the radiation could be seeping into groundwater from one of the reactors.


Shit!

Quote:
But the radiation will no longer be a risk after eight days, officials say.


Oh ok. Hurray!
So no need for end of world headlines then?

confused
Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Hitachi
Hi there new here. Actually I was about to sign up when this lot happened.
I like in Ibaragi right in the middle of lots and lots of earthquakes. It's relentless.
I haven't been here in Japan that long really and had only felt a few smallish ones before two weeks ago.
The last two weeks has just been surreal and by far the scariest time I will ever experience. I was sort of coping well but have been worn down by the daily shaking - just had a few this evening - and need to leave so I will be out on Thursday after I have sorted out a few things.
The heart breaks for what is happening, but if I don't leave, I think my mind will break.

Whether I'll be back again or not I don't know but I will need a decent amount of time out before considering that.


So sorry to hear that, Hitachi.
Take care if yourself.
Link to post
Share on other sites

The media is loving this new one

 

Quote:
Radioactivity in water at reactor 2 at the quake-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant has reached 10 million times the usual level, company officials say.

 

Workers trying to cool the reactor core to avoid a meltdown have been evacuated.

 

Earlier, Japan's nuclear agency said that levels of radioactive iodine in the sea near the plant had risen to 1,850 times the usual level.

 

Are we all going to die?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Karnidge
The media is loving this new one

Quote:
Radioactivity in water at reactor 2 at the quake-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant has reached 10 million times the usual level, company officials say.

Workers trying to cool the reactor core to avoid a meltdown have been evacuated.

Earlier, Japan's nuclear agency said that levels of radioactive iodine in the sea near the plant had risen to 1,850 times the usual level.


Are we all going to die?


I'm afraid we are.

I'm hoping to have at least another 40 years or so though.
Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Hitachi
Hi there new here. Actually I was about to sign up when this lot happened.
I like in Ibaragi right in the middle of lots and lots of earthquakes. It's relentless.
I haven't been here in Japan that long really and had only felt a few smallish ones before two weeks ago.
The last two weeks has just been surreal and by far the scariest time I will ever experience. I was sort of coping well but have been worn down by the daily shaking - just had a few this evening - and need to leave so I will be out on Thursday after I have sorted out a few things.
The heart breaks for what is happening, but if I don't leave, I think my mind will break.

Whether I'll be back again or not I don't know but I will need a decent amount of time out before considering that.


Take care mate.
Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...