Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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The earthquake and its aftermath followed in digital form

From the moment the earthquake struck on March 11, smart phones, along with their intellectually challenged cousins, have been worth their weight in gold — probably even more really. Yes, the networks may have faltered initially, rendering calls and SMS redundant, but email, along with access to the web and the likes of Twitter, allowed immediate contact with friends and loved ones, plus updates about what had, and was, happening.

Now, almost two weeks later, they are still invaluable, allowing easy access wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, to news, social media sites and the ongoing problems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The only downside being that, wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, they allow easy access to news, social media sites and the ongoing problems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Japanese mobile phone user

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Graduations, just like life, go on

With this being the month for school and university graduation ceremonies, it’s clear that many of them must have been cancelled — especially those in, or even near, the earthquake and tsunami hit regions.

In Tokyo and its surrounding areas, however, a good number will undoubtedly have gone ahead, particularly if they were fortunate enough to dodge the day’s scheduled power cuts. Plus, despite current circumstances making the events far more sombre affairs than they’d normally be, it’s still an incredibly proud day for both parents and students alike.

One, just like the time this father and daughter enjoyed, that should be filled with photos.

Japanese graduation kimono

And, once all the formalities are done, fun.

Japanese graduation kimono

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Typical Shibuya fashion and untypical transexual philanthropy

Towards the end of last week, the necessary evening blackouts meant a mass exodus from the city’s entertainment districts, as those living in the suburbs caught trains out of central Tokyo while they still could. In the afternoons, however, it was basically business as usual. And in Shibuya, that meant the standard fare of faux-tans.

Shibuya fashion after the earthquake

And fancy fashion.

Shibuya fashion after the earthquake

But a far less common sight, both in Shibuya and the city itself, was the large number of volunteers out and about collecting for people in need — the horrible plight of those caught up in the earthquake and tsunami even resulting in the unusual spectacle of transexual beauty queen, Haruna Ai, offering photos for donated funds.

transexual Haruna Ai collecting money for earthquake victims in Shibuya

Along with plenty of others requesting, in more conventional form, for a simple contribution.

Shibuya after the earthquake

All of which was an especially heart-warming sight considering the looming plume of radiation that was supposedly set to engulf the capital. And even more so when combined with the genuine passion and urgency of all those involved.

Shibuya fashion after the earthquake

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Ignore the tabloids, Tokyo is doing just fine, but Tohoku isn’t

There’s no getting away from it that the continuing problems at the Fukushima nuclear plant are a real concern, especially so for those nearby, but in Tokyo, well over 200 kilometres away, we are fine. No, better than fine actually. And, if it weren’t for occasional blackouts along with the scarcity of a few nonessential foodstuffs, life would be damned near normal.

Not that you’d think that seeing some of the sensationalist, woefully inaccurate ‘journalism’ coming out of the West. Possibly the worst of a sadly growing bad bunch being Britain’s, The Sun, with their GET OUT OF TOKYO NOW nonsense. A piece of so-called reporting that’s about as factual as the fact that I’m a 15-year-old from Finland called Fifi.

The thing is though, in a mere bid to sell more newspapers or attract more views, this kind of misinformation is bad enough, but when it causes terrible stress to those with loved ones in the areas apparently all set to be engulfed by a looming plume of radiation, it’s a very different story indeed. And yet even that’s nowhere near as despicable as the attention it’s detracting from all those north of the capital struggling with inadequate food, warmth and medicine. An enormous number of people who are suffering. Now. And need all the attention, plus more importantly aid, that all these supposedly doomsday scenarios don’t.

So ignore all the nonsense. Here in Tokyo we are doing fine. It’s nothing we can’t handle. Not by a long shot. None of us. It’s simply a case of get up.

Get out.

Tokyo after the earthquake

And get on with it as best as we can.

Tokyo after the earthquake