2 weeks after the earthquake

It's been 2 weeks since the earthquake hit.
Aftershocks are still following.

About the situation of the nuclear plants, it's uncertain about the future.
The dull Japanese government's attitude worries Japanese people and throws our life into confusion.

On the other hand, the victims and other many people are trying hard to achieve the recovery. The SDF, the Fire Department, nuclear experts and many other people are trying hard to fix the nuclear plants at the site fighting against the fear of radiation. Japanese people are such strong.

I feel ill.

There has been something wrong with me physically recently. I think it's due to my irregular living habits.

Live a regular life!

Highly incapable Japanese government

I read an article about the earthquake in Japan reported by media of Taiwan. It's exactly what I want to say.

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It says;

While the high cultural level of the Japanese people was highlighted, the Japanese government's incompetence stood out.

Although the Japanese government is incompetent, Japanese people are patient, addressing the catastrophe orderly and have gained international respect.
On the other hand, the Japanese government's incompetence is becoming a "a good lesson from a bad example" in many countries.

The Prim Minister Kan is just trying to extend life of his administration using the catastrophe and isn't fulfilling duties as a leader of a country. Other ministers and bureaucrats are very slow to react to anything. Especially their reactions to the nuclear plants accidents were terrible and......

The operation of the planned blackouts was the most serious mistake. It made Tokyo fall into chaos and paralyzed Japanese economy.

Japanese people who have the high cultural level are being inflicted by the incompetent Japanese government.
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You are exactly right!!

Highly capable Hyper Rescue squads

I mentioned about the Hyper Rescue squads of the Tokyo Fire Department yesterday.
Their operations were incredibly efficient and effective.

They closely and precisely analyzed and developed workable strategy before the operations. Although they faced unexpected situations at he site, their handling them was great. They immediately considered countermeasures against the unexpected situations and took actions.
It was excellent!

Compared with them, how dull the Japanese government is.

Deadly operation

Discharging water to the nuclear plants is being conducted in order to cool reactors and spent nuclear fuel.

At first, the Japanese government asked the Self Defense Force to water the plants from the air, but the SDF put it on hold because of radiation. However, the situation of the plants reached a breaking point. The top of the SDF had to make a painful choice. Then the SDF started watering from the air.
Following it, the Japanese government asked the police (the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department) to water by high-pressure water cannon trucks. They were reluctant to do it at first, but the riot police did.
The next was the Tokyo Fire Department. They use fire trucks, of course.

Watering by the SDF and the Hyper Rescue squad of the Tokyo Fire Department using fire trucks is going on.

I saw a press conference of the 3 leaders of the Hyper Rescue squads today. One of them said "the squad members' morale was very high and they put forth their best efforts to it. Their families are... I'm really sorry for their families. I want to take this opportunity to apologize to and thank them". He, who is one of the tough guys of the Hyper Rescue squad, choked up with tears.

The SDF, the Fire Department, the police, technicians of nuclear, they are literally doing deadly operations for all of Japanese and Japan.

A nasty mail from a friend

A friend of mine sent us VERY NASTY mail.

She is Japanese but lives out of Japan. The mail is incredibly long. To sum up;

Most Japanese people are carefree and idle spectators although they are under terrible situation.
The Japanese government are implementing press restraints and never tell any facts to Japanese people, but the nuclear plants will explode within 48 hours.
After the explosion, radiation will spread 600 km radius, and it would be stronger than the Chernobyl accident.
Even now, radiation spreads even in Tokyo, so people should escape as soon as possible.
Media in countries other than Japan say that why the Japanese government tell people the facts.

She went on and on about those in her lo---ng mail.

Can you believe that someone do such a nasty thing?

Although she doesn't live in Japan, how does she know Japanese people are carefree and idle spectators? Even people in Tokyo are affected by the events in this time and under harsh situation. But many of them say that they have to be patient considering the victims. At least, there are no people around me, who are carefree and idle spectators.

She sent the mail to dozens of people.
What is her intention? Does she want to make Japanese panic? Does she make people angry?
In the former case, we Japanese are not so stupid. In the latter case, her intention was successful.
Anyway, it's certain that she has lost many friends.

I have deleted her from my address book.

One week after the earthquake

2:46pm today, a silence prayer was offered around Japan because it has been one week since the unprecedented earthquake hit.

TV is starting broadcasting some programs other than news programs, and the news programs are starting presenting news other than earthquake-related matters little by little.
However, situations, which are such as evacuees' terrible lives, nuclear power-generation plants, mess by the planned blackouts etc. aren't getting better, are even getting worse.

The evacuees' lives are cruel. Many relief goods aren't able to reach evacuate sites.

All I can do for now is just saving electricity and donation...

I'm really warried about th victims.

As rescue operations are progressing a little by little, the damages are getting apparent a little by little.

Many villages and settlements were completely submerged under water and lost entirely. Yesterday, I often heard the news which said that 1 -2 hundreds bodies were found in --- area, 2 - 3 hundreds bodies were found in --- village etc. And finally the news said a thousand bodies were found at a beach. I was at a loss for words.

Evacuees are starting to talk about the situation of when tsunami attacked. Horrible. They lost their family and friends, and experienced such a horrible event. Relief goods are most necessary things for now, but I think it's also necessary to provide psychological support to them when things calm down.

Many rescue teams and experts came to Japan from other countries.
Thank you very much for all of your help!!

The nuclear plants problem have to be solved no matter what.

The situation of the nuclear power-generating plants is getting worse and worse. I can't help thinking that things are getting out of hand.
That should never happen! Hang in there!

The planned blackouts turned out unplanned blackouts

It was only 10 hours before the implementation of the blackouts when the electric power company (Tokyo Electric Power Company = TEPCO) announced the schedule of the blackouts. TOO late. So panic in cities was bound of arise.

Railroad companies had to cancel some of trains during a certain period of time, so they announced their cancellation schedule early this morning according to the blackouts schedule. But many people didn't know because TEPCO's announcement was too late.
Traffic lights would stop, so police had to dispatched many police officers to intersections but of course they don't have enough police officers for that.
Many shops and restaurants decided to close during a certain period of time according to the blackouts schedule.
Hospitals also had to prepare for that.
In spite of TEPCO's too late announcement, all establishments tried hard to handle.
In this situation, panic wouldn't be avoidable. However!! to make matters worse, TEPCO canceled the blackout for the 1st group areas at the very last minute! They also canceled it for the 2nd group. And they said they were not sure if they conducted the blackouts for 3rd - 5th groups. What?!?!?!?!
One more surprising thing is, one part of disaster area was included in the areas in which the blackouts were conducted and power went out at one evacuation center. Terrible.

I think people in the areas in which blackouts are conducted wouldn't complain against the blackouts. Although it's very inconvenient and panic occurs, given people in the Northeastern area, it's small thing. However, TEPCO's dull operations were terrible. Of course, TEPCO is facing a storm of criticism.
The chief Cabinet secretary criticized those TEPCO's terrible operations and TEPCO apologized the Japanese government.

The dull Japanese government and dull TEPCO are coping with the disaster in Japan now. What a horrible situation!!

TEPCO'S most important task now is to overcome the problems of nuclear power-generating plants. I mentioned the explosion in the previous article. That's the plant 1. Today, the plant 3 exploded. And the plant 2 fell into critical condition.
Even though TEPCO's employees who are doing operations are terribly dull, employees who are coping with the nuclear plants problems are experts of nuclear and plants, right? Please overcome it! No, You have to do!

I'm proud of Japanese people.

Compared with the Northeastern area, the damage in Tokyo was very few. Nevertheless, it was terrible situation in Tokyo. However, people really calmed down and orderly.

I think that it's the first time that all trains and subways have stopped in Tokyo. Streets and roads were full of people who had to get home on foot spending 3 hours, 4 hours or much more. But they were just walking orderly.
All food in every convenience store were sold out, but still there were many people in each store. However, store's staff were working as usual and there was not any trouble.
Main stations were full of people who were not able to get home and so stayed there. They also calmed down and orderly, and sat down the side of streets or halls to get out of the way of people passing. (There were some people who complained against station staff though.)

Some countries complimented Japanese people's orderly behaviors.
I'm very proud of such Japanese culture and character! I also think that it was good that I was born and grew up in this country!

Planned backouts

Although aftershocks don't stop, tsunami warnings are finally called off. But other than it, it seems that nothing gets better. About the situation of nuclear power-generating plants even get worse.

Due to nuclear power-generating plants problem, Japan is facing electricity shortage. So it was decided that planned blackouts will be conducted from tomorrow. Tokyo and 8 prefectures around Tokyo are divided into 5 areas and power will go off in each area for 3 hours in turns.
But!! I can't get any information about planned blackouts schedule!! I had no idea when power goes off in my area. Any TV news don't mention the schedule. It's impossible to access the website of a electric power company. I finally got the information that center of Tokyo where I live will be excluded from the planned blackouts coverage areas on the first day. But people in other areas must be worried.

The Japanese government is undependable. Especially Prim Minister Kan lacks ability in leadership. He made a speech today. It's hard to think that it's the speech of a leader of one nation. He is really dull.

Dull Kan is making a speech

A nuclear power-generating plant is in critical condition.

Although it's about 31 hours after the earthquake, aftershocks are still following.

Many terrible damages are becoming apparent. Everything disappeared in areas where tsunami attacked. It is as if Hiroshima and Nagasaki just after atomic bombing.

Trains broken by tsunami

Most houses disappeared and became just woods due to tsunami.

A vessel was swept into the middle of town.

Now, one of the biggest issues is one of nuclear power-generating plants which is in critical condition. At first, the Japanese government ordered people living within a 3-kilometer radius to evacuate. Then it expanded to 10-kilometer radius, and then, now 20-kilometer radius. I hope nothing happens.

The places around the epicenter are very cold area. I wonder if all evacuees can keep warm.

Oh---, now, it's shaking. Quite big for aftershock.


Moment of the explosion of the nuclear power-generating plant

The biggest erthquake which I've ever experience

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Japan around 3pm today. Although the epicenter is the northeastern region where is far from Tokyo, the shaking was incredibly strong. It's the biggest earthquake which I've ever experienced. And many aftershocks are still following. It's also the first time that I experienced such long-continued aftershocks.

The quake damage in Tokyo is not so big. Most building and houses in Tokyo are fine. However, infrastructure completely stopped. All trains and subways stopped. All highways were closed. Cars and buses can't move in roads due to traffic congestion. So people can't go home. I can see wave of people who are walking in roads to get home. All food in every convenience stores are sold out. Cell phones don't work. I felt scared seeing those scene.
Most building in Japan, especially new ones, have earthquake-proof structure, but how weak the infrastructure is.

The damage in the northeastern area where is around the epicenter is terrible. Especially, the damage of Tsunami is larger than the damage of earthquake. Tsunami took part many houses and swept away them which weren't damaged by earthquake.

TV news just announced one of the terrible damages, which is that 2 - 3 hundreds bodies were found on the road in an area. who seems to have been swept up by the tsunami.

Formal or Informal Expressions

The theme of an English workshop which I attended the other day was "Conversations in the Office."
One of topics is "Formal or Informal expressions."

Some expressions that I thought is formal were informal, and vice versa. It's quite difficult.

The followings are some of the expressions which I thought are formal but actually informal.

make a plan

Police are looking into the crime.
I think you should try this restaurant.
turn in a report
Excuse me, do you have a few minutes?

But polite expressions in Japanese are MUCH more difficult. I'm sure there are many learners of Japanese language struggle with Japanese polite expressions. It might be good that I'm a learner of English, not Japanese. haha.