Japan Today

[Anita M. S. Richards]

Dear Masatoshi,

It is very good indeed to hear that you are safe and well and likely to 
remain that way.  The Western news focusses of course on disasters, and 
our thoughts are with the many people who have suffered.  Fortunately most 
people do, I think, have a picture of Japan as a very sophisticated and 
prosperous country, but if there is anything we can do then that should be 
made known.   In these days of electronic news, I suppose that the 
traditional substitute for toilet rolls is not so readily available.

Very best wishes for the future

Anita

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dr. A.M.S. Richards, UK ARC Node, Room 3.135
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Alan Turing Building, 
University of Manchester, M13 9PL
+44 (0)161 275 4243
and
MERLIN/VLBI National Facility, Jodrell Bank Observatory, 
Cheshire SK11 9DL, U.K. +44 (0)1477 571321 (tel) 571618 (fax)

"Socialism or barbarism?" Rosa Luxemburg (1915)

On Fri, 18 Mar 2011, M. Ohishi wrote:

> Dear IVOA Members,
>
> I would like to report updated situation in the Tokyo area. I am not sure how
> the mass media report in other countries than Japan, but my report is based on
> what I observed.
>
> 1. Radioactivity
> The Japanese government has published, a few times a day, measured data on the
> radioactivity in many places in Japan, which can be accessed from
> http://eq.wide.ad.jp/index_en.html
> The measured radio activity levels in central Tokyo (Shinjuku), on March 17th,
> are between 0.050 and 0.052 micro Sv/h which are within its nominal value of 0.
> 028 - 0.079 micro Sv/h. In other words, there is NO danger on the radioactivity
> level.
>
> Further the troubled nuclear power plant is located in a distance of more than
> 200 km from Tokyo. Therefore I don't foresee any problems to stay and live in
> the Tokyo area.
>
> It is a pity that some goverments recommend to evacuate from Japan.
>
> 2. Life in Tokyo
> Because the quake was so strong (magnitude 9.0), there remains many
> restrictions on our daily life. For example, the electricity supply has bee
> short, and we are requested to save power. In some areas, the power supply is
> suspended for about three hours a day. It is fortunate that my home has not lost
> the power supply at all. And fuel supply is short. Therefore it is better to use
> public transportation systems, such as trains and buses.
>
> Communication systems (phone, internet) are OK.
>
> There is sufficient food in Tokyo, as usual. But some people buy so many toilet
> rolls for unknown purposes. They may plan to open a special shop to sell toilet
> rolls.
>
> 3. Aftershocks
> There are many aftershocks. Even last night there were smaller quakes with
> magnitude of 5 or 6.  Now we are used to such "small" ones, rather I feel like
> living on a hammock.
>
>
> That's all for today.
>
> Regards,
>  Masatoshi
>