Snap shot of Japan Today

 I am risking being called negative. I risk being accused of not loving the Japanese. I am a jokester and a realist. I don't hide truth nor turn a blind eye to reality. The way to a deeper relationship with God is to know him more. Study him, love him, bless him, and worship him. The way to understand the Japanese culture more is to learn about it and what is happening. How is it changing. This includes focusing on positives and negatives.  Right now since the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disasters the dynamics are changing. The nuclear fallout has more emotional impact than that of physical reality. Below is a snapshot of headlines from Japan Today's newspaper. As negative things occur we can be rosy and focus on only the good things but I feel that is turning a blind eye to truth. I believe if we hit this head on with full knowledge we will be better suited for serving out King Jesus and to reach out to the people of Japan.

August 2, 2011 Radiation is higher than ever. Below the reports says they hit a record measurement outside the buildings. We all are questioning? Where else is the radiation? Who is at risk? Can I live within these conditions?
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/record-high-radiation-reported-at-crippled-fukushima-nuclear-plant

The nuke plant dumped millions of gallons of radioactive water into the ocean. This hurts industry.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/sushi-industry-hurting-from-radiation-scare

The Agriculture industry has been hit hardest. Three prefectures can't ship or sell  their produce to anyone anywhere in the world. Spinach, Green tea, Other vegetables all are adsorbing radiation. Now the Rice crop is being measured we can only figure out what it will be. The rice straw sold to dairies has infected thousands of cattle where 30 some prefectures have contaminated cows.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/govt-to-test-rice-crop-in-19-prefectures-for-possible-contamination

Contaminated cows in various farms were a problem but now the ban moves on to a third state Iwate where they can not sell or trade the cows or beef. It isn't just one or two farms whole prefectures are affected or should I say infected. When we do BBQ's is the local beef or pork we buy safe?
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/govt-extends-beef-ban-to-cattle-from-iwate-over-contamination-fears

Earthquakes continue to rock this land. This report shows that this is a different region. Not up North but it is south of Mt. Fuji. An article yesterday showed the science of dormant volcanoes becoming active after major earthquakes. What if Fuji became active? Yikes! Oh I shouldn't incite fear sorry. It is still inactive I think.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/m6-2-quake-shakes-shizuoka-region

Suicides are at an all time high. In Fukushima last year in May there were 49 suicides in this year over 500. They opened up for 10 days suicide prevention lines and had over 1515 calls. They had to shut down due to a lack of funding. The problem is growing. Businesses are loosing money, Companies are cutting the fat but it isn't helping. The economy has an appearance of getting stronger but is it really? Time will bear it out but we see vacancies of businesses everywhere. The unemployment rate is rising to its highest level in a long time. People are giving up hope. One lady threw herself in front of a fast train blowing through the train station and she was launched into the station through a kiosk glass windows injuring customers while her body destroyed much of the store. It was horrific.  Elderly, are the most at risk for suicide as they don't want to burden their families. Is it a blessing that longevity is touted here? I teach a few nurses English. They tell me of an industry in Japan under the guise of care and hospice is making money and lot's of it. There are thousands in private homes that are in vegetative states of consciousness. They are being kept alive by machines.  Or should I say their body functions are kept alive by machines. I could get real negative here, but the reality is these nurses are telling us they are repulsed by the lack of ethics in the medical industry and the hunger for money. Japan couldn't decide on a brain dead definition for the transplantation of organs for years mostly blocked by industry that could loose out if families started to unplug loved ones and donated their organs to give life to others. So am I advocating euthanasia? No. But there comes a time when you just know and need to move on. I know because I had to unplug my own son. So suicides are rising and there seems to be no easy solution. We have the hope of heaven but their eyes need to be opened. Pray that the light will shine in Japan.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110726jk.html