Archive for March, 2011

Operation Tomodachi: American Aid to Earthquake & Tsunami Victims

A week ago, I posted about how the United State military had launched a massive effort to deliver aid to victims of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Since then, “Operation Tomodachi” (Operation Friendship) has made some significant contributions to relief efforts. They’ve provided logistical support for Japanese aid workers, participated in search and rescue missions, and delivered tons of food and supplies to survivors.

Here are a few videos and photo slideshows of them in action.

“US Navy Supports Operation Tomodachi” (from the US Navy):

“Relief efforts continue in Japan with Operation Tomodachi” (from the US Marine Corps):

“Operation Tomodachi Slideshow” (from the Department of Defense):

“米軍による救助作戦：「operation tomodachi 」 友達作戦” (a slideshow by bu7da8):

“米軍が避難所に救援物資搬送” (Japanese TV footage upped by wk0909123):

You can see more information and photos at the following links:

• Operation Tomodachi Photostream on Flickr
• The latest on Navy support to Japan (Stars and Stripes)
• U.S. troops supporting, rather than executing relief missions (Stars and Stripes)
• U.S. Troops Continue Relief Efforts in Japan (Department of Defense)
• U.S. Ambassador John V. Roos’ Twitter Account – Provides regular updates on Operation Tomodachi

Over at Itai News, they’ve posted some excerpts from a 2channel thread in which Japanese netizens comment on how “cool” the American military looks in TV reports about Operation Tomodachi.

A lot of the comments have expressed gratitude towards in the United States, and they’ve even got some of their ascii emoticons cheering:

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

RADIATION IS COMING: Sensational Reporting in Japan

The international media are not the only ones out there who are playing up fear to help sell papers. Here’s how the Japanese magazine AERA is depicting the Fukushima nuclear accident:

The headline says “RADIATION IS COMING.”

You can read reactions from Japanese netizens, which seem to be mostly negative, here and here. Some seen to be mocking it’s use of the word “放射能”, which apparently sounds weird in Japanese. (Question to native speakers: Would 放射線 have been more appropriate?)

The overall situation here with the domestic media has been a bit different, though. The Wall Street Journal has a good article up about it: Japanese, Foreign Media Diverge

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

Shipping Supplies to Earthquake Victims: Donations Wanted

Joseph Tame has filmed this video, which shows how Second Harvest Japan is preparing to send food and supplies to victims of the Tohoku earthquake:

If you live in Japan, here is a link with information about how to send them food and supplies.

If you live outside of Japan, here is a link with information about how to donate money.

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

Japanese Amused by “Japan Hope” Polo Shirts

Ralph Lauren has started selling special edition “Japan Hope” polo shirts. Apparently 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the $98 shirts will go to charity:

Polo Ralph Lauren and the United Way worldwide network join forces to support the relief effort in Japan. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this limited edition polo will be donated to the humanitarian effort through the Central Community Chest of Japan, a part of the United Way worldwide network. Trim, modern fit in cotton mesh, finished with our embroidered pony at the left chest, applied flag and embroidered “Japan Relief” at the right chest. Embroidered “Japan”, “Ralph Lauren” and “United Way Worldwide” logo at the back. Japanese characters for “hope” are embroidered at the left chest and back.

Japanese netizens have discovered the shirt, and many are commenting about it on Twitter. Here are a few examples of recent tweets:

The general vibe seems to be: “We appreciate the fact that they’re doing this for Japan, but we can’t help but laugh at the hilariously ugly/goofy design.”

[hat tip to Durf]

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

BBC: Libya Conflict Causes Deaths in Miyagi

A screen capture from Neal Mann shows that the even the BBC can get a bit confused when it has to provide coverage for two major events:

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• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

Radiation Detected in Vegetables, Milk, and Tap Water

Radioactivity tests have found that milk from Fukushima and spinach from Ibaraki contain levels of iodine-131 that exceed safety standards:

In raw milk samples collected from a farm in the town of Kawamata in Fukushima prefecture, up to 1,510 becquerel per kilogram of iodine-131 were detected, about five times the limit of 300 becquerel per kilogram set by law.

“This will be a huge blow to dairy farms all over Fukushima,” said Yukimitsu Sato, a spokesman for the prefecture’s dairy farm cooperative, which represents about 60% of local dairy farms, including the one in Kawamata.

The prefecture had not shipped milk for consumption since the earthquake, and the health ministry’s announcement came just as the cooperative was preparing to begin shipping again.

“We were just starting to see a ray of hope,” said Mr. Sato, adding that the cooperative was not told about the radioactivity tests.

According to the cooperative, Fukushima prefecture’s 516 dairy farms usually ship 254 tons of milk every day, with annual sales of about ¥10 billion (about $125 million). About 1.3% of dairy cows in Japan were in Fukushima as of 2008, according to the prefecture.

The health ministry also detected higher-than-normal levels of iodine-131 from spinach samples collected Saturday from farms in six locations in Ibaraki prefecture, south of Fukushima.

One spinach sample collected from the city of Hitachinaka, located about 120 kilometers south of the plant, contained 8,420 becquerel per kilogram of iodine-131, according to the health ministry. The normal amount set by Japanese law is 2,000 becquerel per kilogram.

Another spinach sample from Takahagi, a city closer to Fukushima, recorded 15,020 becquerel per kilogram, more than seven times the normal amount. From that sample, radioactive caesium 134 and caesium 137 were also detected in slightly larger amounts than the limits set by law.

The Ibaraki prefectural government has asked farmers to suspend shipments of spinach, according to the Ibaraki branch of the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations.

An official in Ibaraki prefecture said that he couldn’t deny the possibility that some spinach from the prefecture has already reached consumers. The prefecture produces about 14,000 tons of spinach a year, about 5% of overall production in Japan.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said at a press conference Saturday that it was prepared to offer compensation to farmers.

It is also being reported that tap water in the Kanto region has been found to contain trace amounts of iodine-131, but the levels do not exceed safety standards:

Radiation was detected in water in Tokyo and the prefectures of Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba and Niigata, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said today in a faxed statement.

Tochigi Prefecture’s reading of radioactive iodine-131 was 77 Becquerel per kilogram, the highest among the prefectures, while the level of iodine found in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district was 1.5. All the numbers were within the 300 Bq/kg limit, the ministry said.

This is not an unexpected development, nor is it a sign of a new radiation leak. The explosions at the Fukushima plant earlier in the week caused higher-than-normal radiation readings throughout Tokyo (which have since dropped considerably). At such levels, direct exposure would not harm human health, but it could build up to unhealthy levels in crops and livestock that feeds on local vegetation.

To summarize:

Iodine-131 in Vegetables

• Japanese legal limit on radiation in spinach (and other vegetables): 2,000 per kilogram
• Amount of radiation detected in spinach from Takahagi, Ibaraki prefecture: 15,020 becquerel per kilogram (plus caesium 134 and caesium 137)
• Amount of radiation detected in spinach from Hitachinaka, Ibaraki prefecture: 8,420 becquerel per kilogram.

Iodine-131 in Milk & Water

• Japan’s legal safety limit on radiation in water / milk: 300 becquerel per kilogram
• Amount of radiation detected in milk from Kawamata, Fukushima prefecture: 1,510 becquerel per kilogram
• Amount of radiation detected in Tochigi tap water: 77 becquerel per kilogram
• Amount of radiation detected in Tokyo tap water (Shinjuku): 1.5 becquerel per kilogram

Experts have said that the greatest health impact from Chernobyl came from the consumption of contaminated food. In that case, authorities did not properly warn people about radiation in crops, milk, meat, and water. In this case, Japanese authorities appear to be restricting the sale of contaminated food.

Even if future tests find that radiation levels have dropped, this will still probably kill the agriculture business in Ibaraki and Fukushima. One can expect that consumers will be checking the packages of vegetables at supermarkets, and avoiding anything from that region.

Although this only seems to be effecting a small region of Japan, the New York Times is speculating that this will probably make people stop buying Kobe beef and Japanese sushi.

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)