It's been almost one year since that nightmare. Responding to this, recently, there have been more reports on tsunami-stricken areas and the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. There are so many things which set me thinking that I don't know where to start. However, I'll first talk about the worst-case scenario on this plant which has been notable but controversial since it first emerged a few months ago.
Since the then Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, stepped down last August, some key people, including him, have talked about what they did to regain the control of that plant and what they saw and thought about while they were struggling to do that. By their interviews, the worst-case scenario created by our government has been revealed. If the worst had happened, about 30 million people, including those living in the Tokyo area, would have been forced to evacuate their homes. It meant that Japan would most likely crumble.
I wrote about this worst-case scenario in the past tense, but I don't know if it's right. It's been said that thanks to many workers striving in that plant, the chance of the worst case happening is much lower than last year, but we have to remember the fact that there is still this chance. In the wake of the 3/11 earthquake, Japan is more subject to earthquakes than before. As a matter of fact, I still often feel quakes in the Tokyo area. Because of this, if another massive earthquake or aftershock hits the Fukushima plant, what we don't want to imagine will probably happen.
I've often felt that people, including politicians, put the blame on the then Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, saying that his inability caused the current terrible situation. I don't think he did perfectly, but I don't understand why they always blame him that way. Some experts have insisted: "Japanese people have been looking for a political leader who can improve their situation without doing anything by themselves. If the situation doesn't improve, they'll put the main blame on political leaders. We have to think about what Japan will be like, decide on what to do, and take responsibility for it. We aren't fully aware of it."
I think that the experts are right. I've realized for some years that we have to improve our ability to make decisions by ourselves and take responsibility for the decisions. However, it's easier said than done. I'll talk more in the next post.
