My Latest on the Earthquake

I've been a bit up and down over the last few days...yesterday was a particular low, with many aftershocks waking me on Monday night, leaving me very tired, and constant, conflicting reports about the ongoing nuclear 'catasrophe' in Fukushima, as the foreign press are so reassuringly calling it. Yesterday, there were many reports of well above average radiation deteced in the prefectures surrounding me, but, not in my prefecture. However, my location right on the corner of Gunma, between Saitama and Tochigi, made me somewhat doubt that Tochigi and Saitama prefectures were recording unusual levels and we weren't...I don't think radiation cares too much for local political borders. The foreign press continued to whip up a dramatic storm, I was struggling to understand any of it, no matter what language it was in, and was starting to think that I was going to headbutt the TV if I had to see a diagram of the inside of the bloody reactors again, either that or just scream 'I don't know what a f***ing nuclear reactor looks like when it's working anyway, so that stupid diagram is really not going to inform me of anything, it could be a diagram of a car engine or a piece of modern art, or a random doodle drawn by the newscaster for all I know.' The information all seemed very scientific and not very user-friendly. I admit to having a small panic. When I went home, I put on a mask and cycled with quite literally only my eyes showing.

However, looking at all of the information from the Japanese goverment, the scientists and the British government and embassy (who I trust the most, the Foriegn and Commonwealth Office has reassuring advice for British nationals), I realised that I was allowing myself to be whipped up into hysteria, which is not going to help anyone. I feel much calmer today. The current levels aren't enough to harm anyone, even in the area right next to the plant, which has already been evacuated, and the sort of levels recorded around me (200km away, similar distance to Tokyo) aren't harmful at all. All scientific reports seem to say that even in a realistic worst case scenario, only the current 30km evactuation/quarantine (can't think of a better English word) would be at any serious health risk. I feel reassured by that. Also, when first looking at international news, I was worried that the Japanese media were trying to sweep it under the carpet, but, now there is almost 24 hour news on the TV about the developments at the nuclear power station dai ichi ni san yon (福島第1234原子力発電) and a man, who is looking older and sweatier by the day, is making announcements every few hours or so. Also, I love the evening NHK (Japanese BBC) news reporter, she looks so professional and talks with such sincerity...I would trust her with my life. I love her. I'm going to take her photo tonight. The wind is also blowing strongly eastwards today, so that is a relief too.

Afterschock-wise: we are officially down to a 40% chance of there being an afterschock of magnitude 7.0+ in the Miyagi area where the first big earthquake hit. Other aftershocks are still going on, in various parts of Japan, some are big, at around richter scale 6, and they are unnerving, but more because of the worry that it could be a big 7.0 up by Miyagi again which might cause another tsunami and do more damage to the region that has already been hit, or upset something at the nuclear power plant, rather than the thought of any immediate damage in this area...I am safe there touch wood. For me, the afterschocks are just a reminder that things are not back to normal yet and of the tragedy that is happening in the North of Japan, rather than a worry for my personal safety. There was a big one last night, which was pretty strong apparently, but I barely even felt it because I was on the toilet! Apparently you feel them a lot less on toilets and in baths, so it wasn't just that I was concentrating on a big poo or anything.

In other related news - things up north still look horrible from a recovery point of view and the death toll continues to rise. The Emperor of Japan, Akihito, has made a TV broadcast saying that he is 'deeply worried' which sort of makes you want to say...what an understatement, and what a delayed reaction, but, he NEVER appears on TV normally, so I imagine it might have really touched the Japanese people, although I haven't spoken to anyone Japanese since I've found out that it's happened. I didn't even know what the man looked like and I've been living here for a year and a half. In my area, fresh food is almost all gone, as is toilet paper (?) and petrol. It's slightly worrying, but I've got a few tins of food and quite a bit of dried stuff and my boss has given me enough rice to feed the 5,000, so I might turn into a riceball and not be able to wipe my bum (not a common problem amongst rice balls I imgaine), but I should survive. No need to panic!!