So the earthquake came and went leaving a few scars left and right, the tsunami did more damage than the war, reminding us that Mother Nature can be more destructive than humans. Who would have thought in a span of less than an hour a whole city would disappeared under the strength of one humongous wave. Compared to Banda Ache, Miyagi Prefecture suffered great loss, partly because they had much more than the victims of the 2004 devastating tsunami than hit more than 3 nations.
What happened in March 11th 2011 proved to us that despite all efforts of prevention, some things are just beyond our control. The coastal cities of Miyagi Prefecture were installed with wave breakers, however the wave that came crashing through those walls was just beyond what any of us could have imagined possible. Arguably, the system took many lives, as most of the periled victims went home after the first wave to get their insurance documents to be able to claim damages done to their properties.
The images that were televised were nothing compared to the real thing. The stench of rotting bodies, miles of nothing but mud, debris and ponds of muddy water is unbearable. A good friend of mine went with a couple of volunteers to cook food for those affected came home exhausted. The images that she witness was a bit hard to swallow, the infrastructure is gone, the Japanese lining up for food is sad, knowing how independent they are. Those who still have their houses are just as worst off as those who lost everything, they are also starving however, the aid donors and the government prioritize those who are residing at the evacuation centers. Not fully aware that the people who are at home are also starving, sure their houses are still standing but there’s no way to get ration, no electricity, no water.
Rumors of people taking their own lives as help was delayed and the aftershocks claiming any hope of rebuilding began circulating. I heard from a good source that this particular piece of information was televised 2-3 weeks after the earthquake. Fortunately the foreign media didn’t devour this as well, no pun intended.
About 3000 people came to get food from the little group cooking, they were so hungry that they beg to give them food even if it’s still not ready. Some with containers to take home, to family members who were not able to make it and also to preserve for the coming days. Fuel shortage was another factor affecting these people; some barely made it to the areas where volunteers set up camp.
Tokyo was almost untouched, yet people panicked, in the first week alone approximately 240,000 foreigners flew out of Tokyo. The following week hit a maximum of 540,000 foreigners returning to their respective countries to wait out the Fukushima Nuclear problem. The remaining foreigners either went further south to live with friends or flew to another country for example, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand. Mostly common among foreigners from countries beyond an 8 hour Jetlag.
The travel agents hit an all time record sales high, the immigration bureau was under a lot of pressure from foreigners applying for a re-entry permit. Some were even arrested for disrupting the line due to fatigue and stress as their departure hour looms closer and they are still without a re-entry permit. (Re-Entry permit allows a Japanese Visa holder to re-enter Japan. Without it one cannot return even with a valid visa)
The Saudi Arabian students under the Saudi Arabian Kings scholarship were flown out of Osaka, Kansai airport. Another ex-classmate of mine was due back in Tokyo on the same day of the earthquake but because of that the flight was re-directed to kansai airport. Upon arrival he was sent home again by the Saudi Arabian Officials along with other students under the Kings scholarship for their safety.
The foreign media blew the whole episode out of proportion while the Local media tried to keep a tab on any information they released. The Japanese remained calm all throughout because they only concentrate on what the national news is telling them. The foreigners were at the worst end of this, it create more confusion and rumors. Switching from the local news to CNN was nerve wracking, who to believe? The dramatic CNN, BBC etc or NHK? What’s certain is; NHK releasing less information and being calm; unlike the ever dramatic CNN help to keep the calm in Tokyo. Panic in a city of more than 30million people can be devastating. Already seen the effects of Panic buying.
Then the dreaded mail or phone call from the family back home who just watched the 6 O’clock news. I spent a great deal of time trying to convince my parents and family that Tokyo is still inhabitable. Then the Japanese Geography lesson I had to do with almost every mail and phone call. I reach a point where opening my Gmail became another unwanted task.
So what happened after the media got tired of Japans Disaster? This is something I will never forget, the Victims who beg not to be forgotten. They understood that their fate and recovery lies in the media, this is their hope for it reaches out to all the homes out there. Just because the media is not broadcasting it anymore doesn’t mean it’s over, No, this is just the beginning.
The aftershocks will continue for the next 10 years, Yap! This is no exaggeration. The past weeks we felt more and more aftershock, some days none altogether. Other days it’s almost half as strong as that of March 11th. Then other unrelated earthquakes in another area, for example Chiba, Saitama, IbarakiShizuoka. Can be felt in Tokyo as well. Now for most of us the question is, what about Tokyo? Should we be expecting something big? Tokyo is the most likely places to be hit by an earthquake and according to the older generation, they haven’t felt any since the great kanto earthquake. Could Tokyo be next? Or is it possible that our earth changed forever?
An earthquake of 5 and above inland can be devastating for Tokyo, taking into consideration the number of people dwelling in Tokyo. The infrastructure and the lack of open space to evacuate to during an earthquake.
The fear of earthquake has been registered somewhere deep inside of me. Whenever I felt a slight tremor I ask myself, could this be the one the old folks were waiting for? Will the ceiling come crashing down any minute from now? For others, experiencing the march 11th Quake was a boost to their bravery. My friend hardly notices any tremor, for she compares it to the Tohoku earthquake.
The life in Tokyo returns to semi-normal, the night life is back to full swing and people are slowly returning to their normal routine but this time more cautiously. Everybody’s exerting effort in saving power, the supermarkets, shops, vending machines and business houses reduce their opening hours to be able to help save electricity. Why can’t this attitude be part of us, not having to go through a disaster to realize our ridiculously large consumption of energy?
The first impression I had of Japan is how much energy they use, at first it annoys me because it’s just too bright everywhere. And coming from a country that experience power shortage almost every other day, to top it off its just too expensive even to leave the lights on all night. Anyway a few months later I became another careless consumer. Riding the dark trains was a bit strange, especially the subway. Last week I took the Ginza line from Shibuya to Ueno and nearly had my ears blown out by the screeching sound for they open all windows to turn off the air ventilator and occasionally the lights.
No one seems to notice, I concluded that it’s the Japanese spirit that is well spoken of. Then a peculiar woman came in and did something the broke the spirit of many and angered the rest. I was the only one who understood what she meant, its true these are tough times but to lose your hearing as an expense is not worth it. Close the subway if it comes to that but I rather hear the birds in the morning then walk all the way across Tokyo. She silently complained:
The cherry blossoms were beautiful as always but seems as though it went by so fast. Some people think it’s the wind and rain that we experienced, I think it’s because we had a lot to deal with and think of, we hardly noticed it till it’s gone. The metropolitan government’s move to ban Hanami parties was not a really good Idea. People of Japan need to be reminded that nature is still beautiful in spite of what happened just a week before. Then in order to rebuild a society life must go on. I was a bit worried I might appear insensitive to the people in Tohoku’s suffering but when I arrived at the Hanami spot, Ueno, I was not alone. There were a good number of turnouts despite the fact that it’s almost over, now that’s the Japanese spirit right there.
A friend commented that if this happened in his hometown, life cease to exist. People will be depressed for weeks till the last rubble are being cleared off and rebuilding completed. I hate to explain to him that the Japanese are nothing like that, for they have what one will soon realize after living in Japan for a while as the: Japanese Pride.
Foreigners like to think that the Japanese are humble, yes they are but they have this throbbing pride, in their culture, land and who they are. Extravagant no, that’s a word reserved for the western society.
Just as I was about to pen off, another aftershock rocked the little apartment I took refuge in for the past 2 weeks now since giving up my apartment in my preparation to leave Tokyo for good. My friend sat there staring at me as we wait for it to either end or bring down the ceiling. A minute later it ended; my friend went back to her school work as I try to re-live the last aftershock.
Tomorrow is the start of the Golden Week or GW, the longest national holiday in Japan; Most Business houses remain closed from the 28th of April till the 6th of May. Many either travel overseas with their families or return to their respective hometowns. Unfortunately for those who hail from the devastated area and from Fukushima. Some people return to help their families rebuild what was destroyed others I’m sure did something meaningful this golden week. Like a good friend of mine, who at this very moment is travelling north to volunteer in the animal shelter. Me I’m looking forward to a new week, the end of the Golden week means leaving Japan and starting a new life halfway across the globe, Solomon Islands. God Bless Japan.
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