11 June 2011
The earthquake and I
The Earthquake Country
Earthquake is immediate disaster for Japanese people, I think. I heard that earthquake hits anywhere in the world 1,500,00 times in each year (average). And about 10% of these earthquakes occurs around Japan.
The earthquakes which are larger than M 5.0 occurs 1,500 times anywhere in the world in each year (average), and about 20% of these earthquakes occurs around Japan. Now you can imagine that we the Japanese experience many earthquakes in our daily lives.
The map below shows how many active faults and where these are. Active faults are one of the main source of earthquake.
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| (Map from Google, data from AIST) |
Not only the active faults, but trenches and troughs are also important to know more about earthquakes.
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| (Map from Google) |
The map above is maps around Japan with troughs and trenches. (I wrote lines on maps so, it's not so accurate).
So, there are many reasons that earthquakes occurs around Japan so much.
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| (Map and data from ADEP: 1st Jan., 2011 to 1st June, 2011. Figure shows earthquakes which marked as between magnitude 3.0 and magnitude 9.0.) |
The map above it shows how many earthquakes hit Japan in this year, and how strong they were. Well, there are more than 3,000 times of earthquakes had been recorded in half of this year.
I showed some data about earthquakes, but I'm not expert of earthquake. Please tell me when you find some problems.
The 3.11
Today is the exactly 3 months after the earthquake.
According to Metropolitan police department, 15,405 people were killed by the earthquake/tsunami, and 8,095 people are still missing. (as of 10th June.) About 90,000 people are still staying in evacuation centres. It seems like TV stations lost their interest to these people, now they are broadcasting only about nuclear power plants, political issues and Korean artists.
The energy shortage
Tokyo Electric Co.,(TEPCO) are providing their electrical energy to Kanto region. About 30% of their energy source was nuclear power plants. Now we are facing energy shortage because several nuclear power plants have been stopped due to earthquakes/tsunami and irresponsible fears to nuclear power plants.
Well, I don't understand that Prime Minister Naoto Kan ordered Chubu Electric Co., to stop their nuclear power plants. He ordered to stop it because another major earthquake is expected. He ordered to take enough measures for Tsunami and earthquakes. Then why did he ordered only to this nuclear power plant? There are about 50 nuclear power plants in Japan, and I think they all have risks of earthquake.
In fact, the earthquake in Tohoku was not expected as such a large one. I think, his action was totally non-sense and he made the energy shortage worse.
Here's one example, governor of Fukui prefecture ordered to Japanese government to strict safe measurement for nuclear power plants. And they denies to restart some nuclear power plants in Fukui until these plants will pass the new safe measurement. In Fukui prefecture, there are 15 reactors and 6 of them are stopping due to periodic inspections. Another 2 reactors will be in the periodic inspections in next month.
If the governor denyies to restart these reactors, we'll lost major energy source. Most of reactors in Fukui prefecture are providing for Kansai Electric Co.,. Kansai Electric Co., is providing electric energy for Kansai region (such as Osaka and Kyoto). And they are depending on nuclear energy almost 50%.
Some companies shifted their business to Kansai region due to energy shortage in Tokyo. So if the energy shortage effect to Kansai region, Japanese economy might destroy. I hope the governor will make right decision.
The earthquake and I
I felt, we almost back to our usual lives. But I don't recommend to visit Tokyo as tourist. Look at the photo below.
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| Darkish train due to energy saving |
The train is a little dark because train operators decided to turn off light in day-time on sunny days. Sometimes, they are turning off air-conditioner even on hot day. Well, it's really uncomfortable. I don't want to ride such a train.
Also the night, most of street lamps are turning off. Well, it's bit dark. Some shops close a little earlier. Then I cannot buy some stuff after I finish my job. Most inconvenience one is ATM. Banks decided to close some of their ATMs at evening. Well, I cannot withdraw my money from my accounts after I finish my job.
Maybe most of buildings will stop to use air conditioner even on hot day. And it might increase the number of heat stroke. I hope this will not happen. We should think about energy saving much more. Just turn off light, air conditioner, and etc is not the only way to saving energy.
Thank you.
09 June 2011
Super cool biz
We the Japanese, love to wear suits even in hot day, I felt. I think, it's really crazy look at the train in summer days in Tokyo. You can see the trains crowded with workers who are wearing suits... Well, it seems so stifling.
Suits is not from Japan, I think. But Japanese people seems to love these suits. Anyway, I don't like it so much.
Some years ago, the government started the campaign "cool biz" to spread business casuals to many companies. They are promoting wears which are better wears than suits and tie during summer. I felt it's really nice campaign, because if these promotion going well, we don't have to wear the suits in hot summer days.
In my opinion, most of these workers are now not wearing their ties. But they are still wearing suits. So the government's campaign seems to be failed.
"Super cool biz" is not so cool
Japanese government started their new summer clothes campaign "Super cool biz". I think, it's not so cool because these wears are just wears for summer. But it looks a little comfortable.
Why they started such a campaign in this year?
Well, the energy shortage to be expected in this summer in Japan. This is due to the major earthquake in March. We still have trouble in Fukushima-daiichi nuclear power plants, and the government ridiculously ordered to stop Hamaoka nuclear power plants in Shizuoka prefecture due to future Tsunami concern. Also, some of Japanese people believe nuclear power plants must stop immediately, and they are now trying to stop all of the nuclear power plants in Japan. (I don't agree with their opinion.)
Because we are in energy shortage, we should reduce our energy spend in this summer. For these reasons, the government started their new campaign "super cool biz". I hope they will promote to wear T-shirts and half pants with sandal. (Of course, I'm joking.)
Starts on cold day
The day one of super cool biz was 1st June. It was really cold day and many people are wearing long-sleeved shirts. Yes, it was totally not suitable day for super cool biz. Day 2 was also cold day and most of people were not trying super cool biz.
In this week, the weather got well and the temperature increased so much. So there might be some people who are trying super cool biz. I've never seen such a people yet.
Well, if I have a chance, I might try super cool biz...
Thank you.
01 June 2011
Pepsi Dry
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| Pepsi's funny flavours |
I think, PEPSI is really interesting company. They are providing many funny products in these years such as Pepsi Azuki and Pepsi Mont Blanc. I tried these "unusual" pepsi cola these years, but I prefer the usual one. (Not diet coke.) Anyway, Suntory which franchisee of Pepsi in Japan, announced their new "strategy(!?)". They are planning to defy the common wisdom that cola is sweet drink.
Non-sweet cola
They released their new flavour of Pepsi cola on 24th May. Yes, it's about a week ago. Their new flavour is called "Pepsi dry". Well, they said "non-sweet cola".
I think, it's not cola if it's not sweet. It's just sparkling mineral water.
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| Pepsi dry |
But they are advertising that it's cola. They are advertising "nine times out of ten would say 'it's not sweet'".
Anyway, I bought this one because I was trying such crazy pepsi drinks these years. And I wanted to try this one too.
I drunk it. Well, it's exactly not sweet. It's smells like cola, but it's not cola anymore. And I don't like it...
I also found that it's not zero-calorie cola. It's not sweet, but it has calorie. I think, you should buy diet coke!
Perrier
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| My favourite Perrier |
Well, it's a little like Perrier, but it's totally different from Perrier. I sometimes drink Perrier which is France's natural sparkling water, and I like it... But I don't like Pepsi dry.
I don't understand that they started to release such a drink, but I found some funny articles that about Pepsi dry. According to these articles, they believe it's better to use Pepsi dry as seasoning, not as cola.
If you have, and if you want to try this one... You can try it in Japan.
But I don't recommend it.
Thank you.
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