Japan:6 months on from earthquake/ tsunami

[pennyk]

Photos of post tsunami Japan.. immediately after, around 3 mths later and 6 mths later.

http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2011/09/japan-marks-6-months-since-ear.html

It is great to see things beginning to get back to normal, but it must be a heartbreaking and overwhelming task.
It makes my "challenge" of packing/ clearing my house ready for sale pale into insignificance!

 

[Lily House]

wow - amazing photos. Thanks for sharing, Penny.

 

[Aaron Sice]

tap water in Tokyo is still multiple times the safe radioactive limit for infants.

in the world of "what's next" i fear for japan's lack of needed global attention is going to render that country permanently radioactive.

 

[pennyk]

tap water in Tokyo is still multiple times the safe radioactive limit for infants.

.

is it still radioactive? I've just done a google search and all the references to tap water in Tokyo being radioactive seem to be from March...
I dont think it is an ongoing problem.

 

[The Y-man]

is it still radioactive? I've just done a google search and all the references to tap water in Tokyo being radioactive seem to be from March...
I dont think it is an ongoing problem.

Penny,

It's not so much the waterways but what is in the soil that is going to be a big issue.

From what I've heard reported they've now discovered traces of plutonium in the "local" fields and waterways.

It basically marks out a 20km~30km radius no-go zone around Fukushima where people won't be able to live in for the next couple of centuries (if not the next millennia) - and we're talking a moderately populated area - so you can imagine if you owned a home in that area - suddenly you a left with no where to live and your propoerty is worth zip!

There's radioactive fallout hundreds of kilometres away - affecting agriculture and fisheries. The ceasium will be active for some time yet.

Some of the heightened awareness has given rise to unexpected occurences - last week a radioation "hot spot" in Setagay/Tokyo with a reading higher than the surroundings of Fukushima made people panic - turned out to be discarded old radium in jars under a house (not good for the people living there, but never would have been noticed if people weren't walking around with radiation meters.

Power shortages continue - sale of kero stoves are booming in all areas (after a summer with reduced airconditioning). These will get worse as other nuclear stations are shut down in response to public pressure.

The Y-man

 

[pennyk]

Penny,

It's not so much the waterways but what is in the soil that is going to be a big issue.

From what I've heard reported they've now discovered traces of plutonium in the "local" fields and waterways.

It basically marks out a 20km~30km radius no-go zone around Fukushima where people won't be able to live in for the next couple of centuries (if not the next millennia) - and we're talking a moderately populated area - so you can imagine if you owned a home in that area - suddenly you a left with no where to live and your propoerty is worth zip!

There's radioactive fallout hundreds of kilometres away - affecting agriculture and fisheries. The ceasium will be active for some time yet.

Some of the heightened awareness has given rise to unexpected occurences - last week a radioation "hot spot" in Setagay/Tokyo with a reading higher than the surroundings of Fukushima made people panic - turned out to be discarded old radium in jars under a house (not good for the people living there, but never would have been noticed if people weren't walking around with radiation meters.

Power shortages continue - sale of kero stoves are booming in all areas (after a summer with reduced airconditioning). These will get worse as other nuclear stations are shut down in response to public pressure.

The Y-man

I know the area around Fukushima is a disaster zone, and will be for many years to come. (I expect that it wont be centuries though... Hiroshima and Nagasaki were also destroyed and radioactive, but are both thriving metropolis' now).
But Aaron's comment was specifically about tap water in Tokyo being radioactive, and I'm not sure that this is the case.. it doesnt seem to be, from my extensive (3 minute) google search!
Kero stoves/ heaters have always been very popular in Japan. It was one of the things I hated when I was living/ travelling there.. the smell/fumes in the little houses was terrible.
I'll contact my colleagues in Japan and see if they can give an update...

 

[The Y-man]

It was one of the things I hated when I was living/ travelling there.. the smell/fumes in the little houses was terrible.
.

Interesting - it's the opposite for me - it brings back childhood memories of winter, shogatu etc.

The Y-man

 

[Aaron Sice]

But Aaron's comment was specifically about tap water in Tokyo being radioactive, and I'm not sure that this is the case.. it doesnt seem to be, from my extensive (3 minute) google search!

/snip/

I'll contact my colleagues in Japan and see if they can give an update...

i'd love to hear on-the-ground info. i got this info second hand off a forumite AND someone who had just come back from there, so i thought it would be safe to post up.

cheers.

 

[Terryw]

tap water in Tokyo is still multiple times the safe radioactive limit for infants.

in the world of "what's next" i fear for japan's lack of needed global attention is going to render that country permanently radioactive.

I've just been in Tokyo on business and was drinking the tap water so hope your wrong!

 

[pennyk]

So, I contacted my Japanese colleague, and this was her response. (verbatim, except with grammar and spelling corrected)

For post Tunami, there are two tendencies. One is vanished houses, and the other one is radioactivity.

For Tsunami ; I was in Ishinomaki (Miyagi-ken) Last week to do a seminar. And abound the seaside from Fukushima to Iwate (some of Ibaraki and Chiba too) there is still nothing. (I have attached photo from last week) Electricity and water are back in normal an all area (even without houses, we need traffic light and night light). They are taking away all houses. People who were living in temporary shelter have been moved to temporary build houses. (Or moved out of the prefecture) Otherwise other Tohoku town like Morioka and Sendai are normal and many sightseeing people around.

For Fukushima effect, it is NOT serious at all. Of course there is radioactivity around, and they are doing decontamination for kid’s school. But for adult people this is nothing. (as you know Japan is an overly anxious country. So, our level of radioactive scale is too sensitive). Your friend’s news about water was not the case….. Maybe in April there were one to two day news on Tokyo water supply meter measured bit of radioactive. But, we are Japanese. I think Yellow sand from China bring us more problem.

However, compare to KOBE earthquake, it will take longer and we had to pay many tax. (It is wide area and also many old people were living in the Tunami area. So, they ask everything to government, Can not stand alone…)

Anyway, if your friends are planning to come to Japan for Ski, please encourage them to do so.

 

[pennyk]

forgot to attach the photos..

 

[Aaron Sice]

wow that's great - thanks for posting that up.

so it was true - just a bit exaggerated. should be thankful i was wrong!

those pictures say it all, really... you can see the silence.

 

[HandyAndy888]

And that ladies and gentlemen, is a perfect indicator of Japanese work ethic.

 

[imonmyway]

amazing photos, one question how do they move hose big boats?