April 4, 2011

Dear all,

We are well, but the evacuees' situation looks serious

I am greatly thanking for your sympathies extended to us and Japan after the earthquake and Tsunami. My family and company members’ and friends’ families are doing well.

However, damages of the disaster-areas and evacuees from these areas look quite serious. You may know more than we do through TV or other media, since external observers and reporters often report wider information than our Japanese government and TEPCO. Many evacuees are dispersing to many areas throughout Japan, because the disaster areas may take a long to recover. For example, the Akasaka Prince Hotel in Akasaka is scheduled to be the tentative lodging for some months after the closing of the hotel business several days ago on Mar. 31.

We minimize our purchases of packaged water, toilet paper

What we are doing for them is to send relief materials, contributions, and messages. We should abstain from purchasing too much of certain items to allot more daily articles to the affected areas. In the disaster areas, many products are still in short supply, especially water, gasoline, diapers for babies and seniors, etc. Every day Japanese TV releases messages to save energy, refrain from excessive purchases of these kinds of goods.

No Yogurt and Natto on shelves of supermarkets in Tokyo

You may know Natto (fermented soy beans which is one of popular Japanese traditional foods). Natto, Yogurt, other fermented products are not on the shelves of supermarkets yet in Tokyo. The major reason is tentative electric power cut by TEPCO. Factories, especially fermentation factories, cannot plan their operations due to electric outages; notices are released only one or two days in advance.

We come back to regular routine despite concerns about radioactive contamination

Big issues for the people around me are electric power failure and the radioactive contamination. We recognize how electric power is essential for us currently; even oil heaters for warming, regular phones, etc. do not work without electric power.

Additionally, radioactive contamination and the rumors related to this issue effect on our daily food, water, and health concerns. Probably many kinds of rumors regarding it may have a more serious impact on agricultural and fishery people, manufacturers, etc.

These two factors impacts on the Japanese economy and our life directly and indirectly.

However, small things are returning day-by-day; logistics, distribution and so on.

As one of the people of Japan, I am extremely grateful for the many kinds of support -- and supporters -- coming from various countries.

I will send the next message as some good news comes up.

Repeatedly, “Thank you so much for your support!”

Warm regards,

Kazumi

I-techno-office