Expat's Japan Quake Update

One month after the Japan earthquake, American expat Joan Lambert Bailey stockpiles water in her Tokyo apartment, keeps the doors unlocked when she's home and remains wary of going into the city's center in case an aftershock takes out train service and leaves her stranded.

Despite the changes, Bailey says life is slowly returning to normal, at least in Tokyo, 170 miles from the country's devastated northern coast, where 28,000 are dead or missing and the disaster touched off a nuclear crisis.

"Stores are up and running, and there don't seem to be shortages any more with the exception of beer," says Bailey, 42, a writer covering urban gardening on her blog, PopcornHomestead, and for various publications. "There's no more hoarding or panic buying. People hoarding in Tokyo meant it was difficult for people up north to get what they needed."

Following a brief stay with friends in Osaka in the days immediately after the quake, Bailey and her husband Rich, 43, returned to Tokyo and are easing back into their routines. Although she's still recovering from a foot injury unrelated to the disaster, Bailey has returned to work at an organic farm. She's also back shopping at local farmers markets and dealing with the onset of Japan's notorious allergy season. Bailey and her husband recently spent a few days in Niigata, near the quake's epicenter, where they volunteered with a nonprofit group rescuing animals left homeless by the quake and tsunami.

In her latest interview with SecondAct, Bailey talks about how she's adjusting, how the Japanese are coping, and why tourists shouldn't stay away.

SA: What's life like now?
JB: Trains are running, people are going to work, kids are back in school, and farmers are planting. The aftershocks, which vary in strength, still keep coming, and I can't say that's not a disappointment for everyone. It worries people a great deal, and not just Midwesterners like me. Everyone is tired of it, but we've got no choice but to simply ride them out. If it's a big one, what's on everyone's mind when they see the epicenter is near Sendai or Fukushima is the people there. It just seems unfair that they should have to continue to deal with them after all they've been through.

A number of [beer] brewers are up north, and with some damage to transportation routes and factories, loss of inventory due to damage, etc., those shelves are more empty. A few other products are similarly affected -- dairy products and natto, a fermented bean that smells horrible but is incredibly good for you. If you don't go to the store early, you might miss out.

I am impressed at the conservation efforts by businesses and citizens. Lights are at half in most stores, on the trains and even vending machines. Some stores close earlier to save energy, and people adjust accordingly. Most folks head home earlier than usual, too, as no one wants to get stuck if the trains stop running because of an earthquake.

People are watching the nuclear situation carefully. A protest this past Sunday had about 40,000 people. Protests aren't a big part of Japanese culture, so I think it says a lot that there was such a big turnout. There's also great support for farmers from the prefectures affected by the (nuclear) plant. A special market featuring farmers has been set up at a major station near the center of town, and they've seen good crowds there. When I went last week, there were heaps of people vying for the rice, fruit, vegetables and fish they'd brought. One farmer I spoke with said she was deeply moved by the kind words people said as they shopped. Other farmers are giving support, too. I spoke with one at the Earth Day Market two weeks ago who had been through the Kobe earthquake. He and his wife arranged for four tons of rice to be sent north immediately after the quake and were running a small fundraiser at their booth. He said since he knew how it felt to go through something like that, he wanted to help as he could.

SA: Are you living any differently?
JB: I have bottles of water stashed around the apartment. We keep it in case there is a big quake and water is scarce for a few days, but also in case a blackout happens. We turn the gas off whenever we're not using our stove, which we haven't done before. We don't lock our door any more if we're home. An earthquake can shift the building enough that a door may not open, and if we needed to get out or someone needed to get in, they would have a better chance if it's not locked. I keep a pair of socks in my purse at the foot of the bed so I have them if something happens in the night. We also shifted shelves so breakables are closer to the bottom and nonbreakables up top. I avoid going downtown on the train. My leg is better, but if I had to walk six hours back, it would be a problem. I have ventured downtown a few times, but I'm not interested in going alone, although the time will come. I can't live in fear forever. Plus, if something happened, I know plenty of people would be in the same boat, and we'd all help each other.

SA: How concerned are people about the air and water?
JB: People are concerned, but there's no sense of panic. An almost bigger concern is pollen from the Japanese cedars. The cherry trees begin to blossom, too, and you know allergy season has started because almost everyone is wearing masks, carrying tissues -- even wearing goggles to protect their eyes. It's unfortunate, because it makes the world think it must be the radiation. Really, it's mostly just allergies.

SA: What about concerns about food, especially fresh produce?
JB: They are concerned about produce, but not the panicked reaction there was initially. Food is often labeled with its location, so it's easy to figure out where it's from. The farmers whose crops were affected didn't deliver that produce, or if it was delivered, it didn't make it to the shelves. Most grocery stores check for radiation anyway -- mostly because, ironically, they worried about it on imported goods. A silver lining to all of this is a greater understanding of where food comes from and where the energy we use comes from and what that means.

SA: Are people worried about eating raw fish?
JB: I've not noticed a change, although my guess is that they are. Japanese people know sea fish like I know vegetables -- what's in season when, names for every variety, where it's from, etc. If they know a fish could come from that part of the ocean, they're not going to buy it. Japan is nothing if not cautious, so shoppers, producers and sellers are very careful. Japan's maximum tolerance for radiation in food or water is well below the minimum for the United States and Europe. It's also important to remember that farmers, fishermen and grocery stores are not going to sell tainted food. It's not in their best interest to risk such a thing given food scares of the past and the level of distrust that would engender for the future. It would be a death-knell for the business that chose to do it.

SA: How are people in Tokyo helping?
JB: There's a tremendous outpouring of food, clothing, money and volunteers. People want desperately to help in some way. As one friend put it, it could happen to any of us at any time. There is a conscious effort to purchase food, sake or other items specifically produced in the (affected) areas. Doing so helps keep those companies functioning in place for the long-term benefit of the economy.

SA: Any visible signs of international relief efforts?
JB: I've not seen any, except for meeting some folks in Niigata this past week from World Vets, a volunteer organization of veterinarians who help in disasters like this and run spay and neuter programs in underdeveloped countries. Dr. Koji Fukumuro is working at Animal Garden to help animals rescued from the affected areas and is training the staff there, too.

SA: What did you and your husband do in Niigata?
JB: My husband went out on a rescue mission, and I spent time talking with staff, walking dogs, cleaning cat areas and playing with cats.

SA: What else do you want people to know?
JB: I worry that people are now going to avoid Japan at a time when she most needs visitors and assistance. We've had friends express concern that they don't want to tour at a time of crisis, but really it's exactly what is needed. Japan needs foreign visitors to spend money, to show support, to lend a hand where they can. It's also important to remember that the affected areas are up north. While the impact ripples through the country, life still thrives in all its magnificent ways. In some ways, you'd never know there was a problem. The crisis is serious, obviously, but the Japanese are not giving up. They carry on despite aftershocks and nuclear power plant [problems]. There is a concerted effort to look for the positive, to savor what is good in life rather than focus on the negative. Part of that is figuring out ways to help others. People open up their homes to evacuees or offer assistance as they can, and in turn the evacuees are resilient.

Previously: An American Expat in Tokyo Recounts Quake, Aftermath