Shake, Rattle and Roll

Fukuoka-Across Building - Tokyo

On Sunday July 10^th in Japan we experienced another larger earthquake. These small quakes are not unusual since the devastating quake in March. Since that time Japan has been continually hit with large and small aftershocks. Sunday's quake was 7.3 richter scale and hit at 9:57 a.m. in much the same area as the previous quake. It was not very strong at the location I am currently staying but made the office towers in Tokyo sway. The March quake and tsunami are still very much on the Japanese people's mind today.

If you watch the news or TV in Japan, the TV personalities are visiting many of the areas impacted by the tsunami. The news reports from the area are not only highlighting the challenges the areas are facing but also promoting tourism. They are promoting the regions, showing that it is safe to travel and encouraging people to help the economy and visit the previously impacted regions. Yesterday on the morning news a young TV personality was shown exploring different activities in one such area, eating the food and highlighting different opportunities for visitors to explore.

The government has been questioned publicly about how they handed the March quake and aftermath. The Ministry of Energy is young by Japanese standards (he is in his late 30/early 40's) and has been appearing on many of the morning news and talk shows. There seems to be many questions not only around the previous quake and tsunami but also about planning for the future. One problem in the impacted area is currently experiencing is they have been overrun with flies and mosquitoes. Due to the tsunami there are huge piles of garage and rotting fish. These piles have become a prime breeding area for the flies. People living in the area building home-made fly traps to try to overcome the problem. They take a bottle and cut a hole in it, placing a mixture of sake, vinegar and sugar inside. The flies are attracted to the odor and enter the bottle but then are unable to get out. These are being hung around the impacted area but have little impact due to the size of the infestation.

Home-made fly traps

The areas that are mainly impacted are Kesennuma, Ofunato and Rikuzentakata districts. These areas contained large fishing ports and the insects are breeding on the rotting fish stocks. There are also health concerns as the flies that feed on these fish can become carriers of 0-157 E. Coli strain and could further infect the food system. The Kesennuma area has already disposed of over 30,000 tons of rotten fish but there are still huge piles of debris. Many of the sewage pipes in the area are still ruptured and the sewage precessing facilities are out of service in the three areas providing a breeding ground for the mosquitoes.

The impact of the March quake and tsunami reached throughout Japan. Tokyo is still on revised train schedules although most commuter trains are now running on a regular schedule. Power is also a huge concern and everyone in the country has been asked to conserve power and reduce their energy consumption. You are able to log onto a site on the computer to see how much energy your home is using and make adjustments if necessary. The government has asked everyone to reduce their energy consumption by 15%, including large companies. Some companies has changed the hours of their staff, asking them to work on Saturday and Sunday when energy consumption is much less.

Green Curtain

This summer there are still concerns about rolling blackouts. As a result in most families are trying to reduce their energy impact by watching how they are consuming power. Fans in homes are being used more than air conditioners and everyone in Japan was encouraged to grow a “green curtain” this summer. In one area in Tokyo, the government provided 1000 residents a “green curtain” kit which consisted of 2 goya seeds (a Japanese bitter gourd) a piece of netting and a guidebook. In other areas the government provided workshops on how to grown their green curtain and the effectiveness of the plants at decreasing the temperatures inside a home during the summer months. It is very hot and humid here in the summer. The last few days we have been experiencing temperatures in the mid 30's and a relative humidity rate of 80 to 85%. The home I am staying in has a green curtain growing up the house on three sides. Water, fans and a towel are a necessity when leaving home for the day or a few hours.