This Blogger Is Not Dead

Never in my life had I dreamed that I’d be sitting at my computer with a Geiger counter on the screen. But, then again, the events following the earthquake on March 11th have been nothing less than extraordinary. In the last two weeks, a cascade of calamities, each marked with the dubious distinction of being unprecedented in scale, have befallen the country I’ve come to think of as my adopted home. First came the magnitude 9.0 earthquake, followed by a 10-meter tsunami that eradicated whole towns in the span of minutes, and now we’re facing an nuclear crisis involving six reactors that is proving harder to resolve by the day. Lying awake in the watery light of predawn, waiting for the aftershocks to roll by, I wonder how Japan will recover from the difficulties brought by this triple disaster -- problems that, coupled with the threat of a prolonged economic recession, are huge in scope and in reality just beginning.

We in Tokyo have been incredibly lucky. During the earthquake, the only damage we incurred amounted to a broken coffee pot and the loss of a few dishes. Even after throwing out some cracked o-chokko, I still have more than 30 (they must multiply in the cabinets). We’ve had no trouble getting food, although toilet paper still remains elusive at neighborhood shops. I know it’s out there because I’ve seen other people walking around with it, but I’ve also noticed that those people are invariably elderly. JP suspects that there’s a Mixi page just for seniors listing all of the stores that have toilet paper in stock. There was a moment of genuine panic when we learned of the US Embassy’s announcement urging citizens to evacuate, but, after reassessing the facts, we chose to stay.

For the time being, I’m sitting tight, watching the situation, and getting on with my life. I’m hoping for the success and safety of the courageous people who are risking their lives by working around the clock to avert a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. I’m doing my best to conserve energy at this critical time and encouraging people to do the same, while discouraging people from hoarding. I’m going out and supporting local businesses, many of which have reduced their business hours to save electricity. Despite the temporary radiation scare, I’m continuing to drink the water in Tokyo; it’s perfectly safe for adults, and buying up all of the bottled water could mean that some infants, who should not consume tap water if levels of radioactive iodine rise again, might be left with none. And, needless to say, I’m drinking a lot of sake from Fukushima, Iwate, and Miyagi, where several breweries have suffered as a result of the disaster.

I don’t know what will happen, but I’m remaining cautiously optimistic. As one economist said recently, “Only the fool bets against Japan.”

This blogger is not dead. And, although it’s been a very long time since my last post, this blog isn’t dead, either. I promise that you’ll hear more from me soon.