Why Are You Still In Japan?

I think a lot of my blogging about the earthquake is going to be out of order and there will probably be some gaping holes. I’m also piecing things together from notes I’ve taken and memory, I apologize if there are any inaccuracies. I hope you understand.

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At five thirty in the morning the Monday after the earthquake I received a phone call from my friend and coworker. She was letting me know that she, her boyfriend, and a few other teachers from our school were going to take a cab to Yamagata and attempt to fly to another location. Five thirty is a little early for me normally, and being woken up after not sleeping for two days only increased the confusion. She told me, Greg and I should pack a bag. I told her that we decided not to leave and that she should consider staying as well. She said ok, she’d think about it. I said call me and tell me what you decide.

Later that day I called her back to see what was decided. A majority of the staff from our school were at the principal’s house preparing to drive east. I wished them luck and to stay in contact. I’ve had a few emails with my friend since. She and most of the staff that left Sendai have left the country.

To be honest I don’t really know why they left. I know that the earthquake and aftershocks were very scary and that in itself would be reason to leave. I also know that the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant was still developing and no one really knew how far it would go and how soon. I would never fault anyone for leaving for either of these reasons. However I know I made the best choice for me.

Greg and I have decided to stay in our apartment in Sendai until we are advised to leave by either the US or Japanese governments. The reasons for us making this choice are complicated and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to fully articulate them in writing. It’s important that I try, though, for two reasons: many of my friends and family have no idea why I’m still here, and to provide a perspective that is not shown in the mainstream coverage of this disaster.

It must be stated that Greg and I have chosen to stay. We are not trapped in Sendai or Japan. We have not been abandon by our government. If we chose to leave, it would probably be easier for us to fly to the states then it was for my coworkers who left on Monday. We are here of our own free will.

Many of the pictures you are seeing of Sendai are not accurate representations of the city. Of course there is earthquake damage, but the complete devastation you see on the news is primarily the coast. Sendai’s infrastructure is mostly intact and improving by the day. Our apartment never lost water, we regained electricity Saturday, and cell phones are operating normally. We still don’t have gas, but I also think it’s important the gas company be 100% confident that the gas is safe before they turn it back on.

The grocery stores in my neighborhood are open and mostly stocked. Sure there’s only one brand of milk, and the only fruit in sight are pineapples, but we’re able to buy what we need to live.

In general, Japanese people do very well in crisis situations. I haven’t seen any looting or fighting. People are very patient as they wait in line at the store and some are even friendly. My friend told me an old woman offered everyone around her chocolate while they waited for over an hour in line at a super market. I don’t know if people in the US would react so calmly and be so accepting of this kind of situation. From a social stand point, I feel safe. I feel safe to walk down the street alone, I feel safe to be out after dark, and I feel safe in a large crowd waiting for food.

I have been asked by many people about how the situation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant is affecting me and my decisions. There are a lot of rumors out there right now, and I know a lot of people don’t know who to trust. I have made the choice to trust government. I believe the Japanese government will do everything it can to protect its people. If areas become unsafe they will evacuate those areas. I also believe that the US government will do what it can to protect it’s people living in Japan. When they widened the evacuation zone to fifty miles around the plant, I was worried and confused about who to believe. At the same time I realized that this was not a decision that the US would make lightly. By doing so they are disagreeing with the Japanese government which could potentially damage the relationship between the two countries. The US’s evacuation zone should be taken seriously. Obviously there is no biological difference between Japanese and US citizens, however I think there are differing expectations between the two groups. Studies have shown that the Japanese evacuation zone is adequate, but I think Americans expect a wider berth around danger. All that aside, Sendai is still outside of the fifty mile evacuation zone and when emailed, the US embassy said there was no recommended evacuation outside of that zone. I know there are a lot of groups who think we shouldn’t trust the government, but if I don’t trust the government, the scientists, and other qualified people, who should I trust?

Click for The New York Times article.

Someone is probably wondering what I think about radiation possibly spreading to Sendai. I understand why the idea of radiation scares people, but we live in a very radioactive world and that’s just a fact we have to accept. The US’s fifty mile evacuation zone is based on a model they created of a worst case scenario. Based on the model, the amount of radiation that would reach Sendai would only be enough to cause small blood chemistry changes (most likely a lowering of the white blood cell count) that would not result in illness for a healthy adult. The people in the US and even Tokyo who are worried about being exposed to high levels of radiation from Fukushima Dai-ichi are basing this conclusion on fear and not fact.

I feel very strongly that Sendai is my home and I don’t want to leave unless it’s necessary. I have water and electricity. I have enough food. I trust the government. Things here aren’t perfect, but they’re far from bad.