Stories about Japanese from March, 2011
Japan: The Tsunami, God and Man
A few days after the disaster that killed more than ten thousand people, Italian vice-president of the National Research Council (CNR) Roberto De Mattei and Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara left the Italian and the Japanese blogosphere astounded when they declared that the catastrophe occurred as a manifestation of God’s will. Both in Japan and in Italy bloggers reacted and demanded their resignation.
Taiwan: Anti-Nuclear Protesters’ Lonely Quest
A fourth nuclear power plant is currently under construction in Taiwan, in Gongliao town, just 40 km away from the capital Taipei. In 1988, eight years after the Taiwan Power Company first decided to build the plant, locals in Gongliao held the first meeting of what became their anti-nuclear organization. In...
Japan: Relief Tweets for Refugee Parents
As the situation at the nuclear plant Fukushima Daiichi remains unstable and the government warns about the high levels of radioactive iodine and cesium in vegetables and tap water, infants' parents seek reassurance and advice from experts and fellow parents on the internet.
Japan: The Importance of Getting Back to Normal
As more time passes since the devastating Earthquake that shook Japan on March 11th, people in Japan are feeling the need to return to normal and put the disaster behind them. Although for many Japanese who lost their homes or loved ones this will be quite difficult, those who weren't as unlucky feel the need to do their part and help the economy get back on its feet.
France: Worry and Hope in the Japanese Community
In France as elsewhere, the terrifying pictures of the tsunami and earthquake have had Japanese expatriates worried by the magnitude of the disaster. Many of them spent all day on Friday, March 11, 2011, trying to contact their loved ones through the Internet, and since then have been working to bring their compatriots some emotional relief.
Japan: Wondering About the Meaning of Life
Poet Shuntaro Tanikawa's famous poem "To Live", which explores the meaning of life, has been posted by many bloggers who wonder what's the best thing to do now.
Japan: Tweeting from Fukushima
At Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactor in Fukushima Prefecture, a brave group of workers, dubbed the Fukushima 50, have been left to tame an escalating nuclear disaster. Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (SDF) official and Twitter user @kir_imperial - one of the people on the ground in Fukushima - has been tweeting about day-to-day events at the nuclear power plant.
Japan: YouTube to Reunite Earthquake Victims through Video
YouTube has opened the shousoku channel to help reunite people missing or lost after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan with their loved ones. In the channel, videos recorded at shelters show people inquiring for information of friends and family.
Japan: Good Wishes and Prayers Sent Through Video
As a response to the situation in Japan after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, people have turned to videos and music as a way to send their best wishes and support to the people of Japan
Japan: Citizen Videos of the Earthquake
Citizen videos recorded Friday, March 11 during the earthquake and tsunami that caused mass devastation in many parts of Japan are all over YouTube. Among the many shared online, here are just a few.
Japan: Anime Explains Current Nuclear Crisis
The ongoing disaster unfolding at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power station in the wake of last Friday's earthquake and tsunami has received an anime explanation, courtesy of this video by media artist Kazuko Hachiya (八谷和彦).
Japan: TV Ads Instead of Earthquake Warning
Boing Boing blog points us towards a video that shows us the programming in 6 main TV channels in Japan during the Earthquake: sadly, most channels didn't even bother to noticeably show the earthquake warning, opting instead for continuing with the advertisements. TimeOutTokyo commented: “This is why we watch NHK.”
Japan: Earthquakes Moving South? Anxiety Builds in Kansai
Just days after the massive earthquake which struck northeastern Japan, further geological tremors are taking place elsewhere on the island of Honshu. A series of quakes naturally has people living west of said areas feeling a bit nervous about what is to come.
Japan: Social Art and Design for Earthquake Relief
Three design-related projects have emerged out of the destruction of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the northeast coast of Japan last Friday 11 March, 2011. They encourage the sharing of artwork and logos to help in the wake of the disaster.
Japan: Frustrations from the Overlooked
While the eyes of the media and the rest of Japan have been glued to developments in the Tohoku region, cries for help from other disaster areas have not received as much attention.
Japan: Waiting for the Right Moment to Help
A blogger calls for people to quell the instinctive and emotional reaction to head towards the disaster area in a message to "the kindhearted young, who want to help the afflicted".
Japan: Tell the World to Help
A simple search for pictures posted on Twitter can bring up amazing things. Search the characters “宮城” (Miyagi) and a handful of different pictures come up from the prefecture, one of the hardest-hit in Japan by the recent tsunami. Scroll down, and one picture stands out, a blob of brown and blue until you click it…
Japan: Earthquake Crisis Mapping on Ushahidi
OpenStreetMap Foundation Japan is using Ushahidi to map crisis information. Volunteers can submit reports through a form or by tweeting location information along with the hashtags #jishin (earthquake), #j_j_helpme (call for help), #hinan (evacuation), #anpi (safety status), or #311care (medical support). The hashtag for people working on the service is...
Japan: Radiation levels and the human body
To “put the radiation levels at Fukushima into perspective”, @gakuranman translated an infographic of radiation levels and their effects to the human body. He has also been updating his website with ongoing announcements.
Japan: Earthquake, “how to protect yourself” in 30 languages
TUFS students launched a website with advices on risk management translated in more than 30 languages. The website provides “a basic guide in several languages to what to do when you have to evacuate because of the earthquake.”
Japan: On Catastrophes and Miracles, a Personal Account
Blogger Chikirin shares her personal story of how she experienced the Japanese earthquake on March 13, 2011, with the post “On Catastrophes and Miracles”. She was on a business trip to Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, when the quake hit some 250 kilometers away.
