Everything Counts

PIC: See 'hospital fire' below.

Here at Excalibur, we have often been asked about "the Japanese way of doing things" and all the mystery surrounding it. Our answer is - when the national and economic circumstances  are going well, then the "Japanese way" works very well - for the Japanese.

The problems start when the economy is NOT going well, namely the last 25 years, and when outsiders try to get involved and help out. This is a handy guide to the Japanese way of handling emergencies, and the Japanese way of coping with problems.

1) Keep doing the same thing over and over again.

Abe hopes to repeat construction boom of 1964 Olympics

2) Keep saying the same things over and over again, louder and louder.

Tokyo authorities and IOC grilled on safety concerns by press

3) Blame the foreigners who are trying to point out the mistakes.

Woodford the whistle blower

4) If all else fails, just ignore the problem and do nothing! This is a handy catch-all method that works for police -

Japanese police fail to detain stalker; girl dies

medical authorities -

head doctors ignore safety concerns at hospital; ten patients die in fire

and local governments -

authorities fail to issue typhoon evacuation warning; 22 people die; dozens missing

And that was just in the last ten days! The Japanese have been carrying on like this FOR DECADES - because here, Status Quo is God, right?

Oh yes, and did we mention that the groundwater radiation levels at the destroyed Fukushima plant are going off the scale?

Radiation levels soaring


But the Prime Minister says there's nothing to worry about, the 2020 Olympics is safe and Japan is on the way to being a 'strong country' again. So you don't need to worry, right? You don't need to get involved. You don't need to buy this book.

3/11: The Fallout: a handbook for personal survival - raising funds for Fukushima charities 


So in the spirit of intercultural communication and to show off the Japanese proficiency in English, here's the latest cutie-pie character which they're so keen on, the new mascot for Fukushima Industries (no relation). Say hello to FUKUPPY.

My name is Winston Saint and I couldn't make this shit up even if I tried.