Picture of the Week 46 – Spring is here

This has been the coldest March I’ve experienced in my 6 years in Japan. It’s spring now, but still feels like early February. It’s supposed to finally warm up next week, though! It’s soon time for hanami, but this week’s pictures feature other flowers. Spring is finally here!

This post is participating in this week’s “Show Me Japan.”  This week, it’s being guest hosted at ichigoichielove.

So, what am I going to do?

I’ve been asked a few times by friends and family about what I’m going to do.  The simple answer is that I’m going to keep living as I always have.  Get up, go to work, enjoy work, come back home, sleep, enjoy my days off, just live like always.  No, I am not leaving Japan.  I’m not leaving the area, either.  Only once during this entire time did I feel any kind of fear or panic, and that was during the earthquake.  The nuclear aftermath doesn’t worry me.  I’m not the least bit worried about the situation.  It’s under control, radiation is dropping, power is being restored.  In fact, reactors 5 and 6 are now in cold shutdown.  Danger of radiation outside the 30km zone is negligible.  Life right now has some inconveniences, but that’s all they are, just inconveniences.  Most things have returned to normal.  Work is completely normal, for one thing.  No, I am not going to leave.  I’m safe, and so is everyone else.  And it seems that the western media is starting to clue in to the fact that they have overblown everything.  They panicked a lot of foreigners living in Japan.  They’ve been irresponsible.

Also, I just wanted to add that 75% of French people who live in Japan have gone back to France.  The joke’s on them, radiation levels in France are higher than Tokyo’s.  Wow.

Have people forgotten?

There’s so much focus on the nuclear problem that’s happening in Japan, I think many people are forgetting the victims of the tsunami. There are tens of thousands of people in shelters waiting for food and water that isn’t being delivered fast enough. People in the Tokyo area need to make sure they conserve gas and stop hoarding food. It’s making it difficult for the victims to receive much needed aid.

I’d also like to mention that there are several charities that you can donate to. If you can, please donate.

The real situation

Just a quick post with some updated information. The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remains the same. They’re still pumping water in (actually, dropping it from helicopters), but there is good news. Power is expected to be restored to the power plant this afternoon, which will make things a lot easier to control the cooling. Western media has been reporting an explosion is going to happen, and the US Embassy is advising an 80 km evacuation radius. Japanese officials are denying that it’s needed. Radiation levels outside the 20 km radius are safe. In fact, radiation has been dropping over the past 12 hours. Tokyo is safe! Also, there’s been a large number of foreigners leaving the area. French and German governments are advising unnecessary evacuations of their nationals.

Again, I’d like to repeat, do not believe what you hear in western media. They sensationalise everything for ratings. Search for NHK World online and see if you cam watch or listen. It’s in English!

Earthquake at Mt Fuji now?

A couple of hours ago, there was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake in Fujinomiya city in Shizuoka prefecture, just west of Mt Fuji.  This earthquake is not related to Mt Fuji.  I’ve been monitoring twitter quite a bit lately, just so I could get some actual news, rather than what CNN is reporting, and the Japan Meteorological Agency stated that it is not related to Mt Fuji.  The mountain is quiet.

On the topic of CNN, I wish that they, MSNBC and FOX would just report the actual news.  They hype things up and provide misinformation.  No, Tokyo is not in a panic.  No, there isn’t a poisonous cloud of radioactive gas heading to Tokyo.  Tokyo is safe.  No, Sendai was not destroyed.  My advice to western media is this:  Start reporting real news or shut the hell up.  They’re doing more damage than good by reporting lies just to boost their ratings.  Shameless.  Absolutely disgusting and irresponsible.

Picture of the Week 45 – Bare shelves

There are probably a lot of similar photos on blogs, but this us what I saw at the supermarket near my apartment. Convenience stores are quite similar. The shelves are bare not because of a shortage, but because of panic buying by hoarders. The supply is coming in. People need to calm down and only buy what they need.

Thankfully, Budget Trouble’s “Show Me Japan” is happening this week.  This post is taking part.