Not sure this is on the same level, it could be argued to be either no where as serious as the last two days’ disasters or far worse. Yesterday passed for me without any liking of anything out of the unusual. That false sense of security was dashed by my very first lesson of the new year which took place in Akihabara. After discussing the earthquake and plane crash, my student asked if I heard of the major incident that happened last night in Akihabara. I had not.
After ten pm last night, a young woman suffering from mental illness boarded the train at Ueno for Akihabara, the same I take for work in Akihabara, and stabbed 4 strangers, seriously injuring 3 of them. The train stopped at Akihabara where the victims were attended to and then transported to hospitals and the perp apprehended.
As violent acts against strangers are common in many parts of the world and increasing in Japan, there are still quite rare in Japan. Given their rarity, it could be argued that their impact is greater; that this attack could have a greater chilling affect on those who live here or are planning to visit. While I have long believed that the reputation Japan has for safety is unearned, many do believe it and this act flies in the face of this belief. This one also hits close to home for me. It was on the train I take in for work and concluded at the station I use, actually used this morning.
For me, it serves as a reminder to maintain situational awareness at all times.
On the other two events, I have little to report. Both are being extensively covered by international media that there is little to add. Little, but not nothing. Learned from my wife yesterday that her cousin’s husband’s family, whose home is also in Toyama and closer to the sea, evacuated to their designated place, an elementary school, only to find it locked. They had to break a window and unlock the doors for those ordered to evacuate. As shocking as this may be, this is a common feature of emergency escapes in Japan. Those who work here and have participated in the emergency drills, I urge you to check the emergency doors to see if the are locked or not. My now former boss at one of the med schools I worked for has undergone numerous evacuation drills including having to ride the boatswain’s chair like escape device down from the roof over the years. He had no idea that the emergency escape door was locked except for the drills until I noticed that it was and told him. As a part timer, I have never undergone the emergency preparation theater.
I was on the 8th floor of a building in Ogawamachi, Kanda in Tokyo when the 2011/03/11 earthquake hit. After the first shake finally stopped, we made our way down the drywall fragment cluttered stairs to the first floor. Thankfully, no one panicked as the emergency door was not quipped with a panic door. It had a regular latch that was covered with a plastic cover that a coworker had to remove before he could turn the latch allowing us to get out. Before leaving, I gathered up my belongings consisting of my coat, briefcase and travel mug as I knew we were done for the day. Once outside, the Japanese employees chided me for not leaving my stuff behind…as they shivering the business suits and nothing else and chanted smoked next to the building as it danced in a “S”. If the glass windows broke or popped out, these guys would have been cut to ribbons. After a few moments, they climbed the stairs buck up to the 8th floor until the first aftershock sent them running down the stairs again. This they repeated several times despite my telling them that the building was not safe and that they were going to kill themselves running up and down the stairs that now had water running down them and the electricity in the building flickering on and off. They ignored me saying something about my lack of work ethic until the building manager finally disallowed them from reentering the damaged building, leaving them all without coats, the ladies without their coats, purses and in their heels to walk home.
Despite the emergency preparedness theater that I had witnessed them performing, none of the regular employees did any of what they drilled. The only person who grabbed their harsher and emergency kit was a new temp hire. We part timers are not issued these.
Many who observe from abroad these emergency drills remark positively on the preparedness of corporate Japan. Do not be fooled. Just like the classes and practice require for drivers licenses in Japan, they do not connect what they practice and learn with how they should act in the real life situation. These activities are no more than something that must be checked off. They do not apply them to real life.
Thus, evacuation sites remained locked after the Jan. 1st earthquake. When in Japan, as with anywhere, do not rely on any one other than yourself for egress and safety.
I think 2011 did help the Ishikawa people in that many of them, at least, did not go back into buildings after the quake and thus were safe from the numerous aftershocks and, for those by the coast, the tsunami(s).
I made a note of your comment on fire-escape doors when you made it previously and I'm now consciously planning how to unlock/open one if needed. I've always been cautious on trains thanks to some interesting experiences in the UK but so far (knock on wood) the worst I've been assaulted with is perfume in Japan.
Emergency escape doors locked! Now that's right up there with "honest politician." or "military intelligence." or other alphabet soup statements of fact.