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This is a follow-up post about the serious situation in Japan. It is not about budo.
Since the earthquake on Friday 11 March and the devastation of the tsunami in the north of Japan things around Tokyo have been very still. There are still shortages of basic foods. Trains are still running very reduced services. There are still frequent aftershocks. The Japanese government is still very economical with information. The US Embassy and the British Embassy still tell people not to worry.
Now the French government has informed French people in Japan that they should leave Japan or go to the south of the country far from the affected areas. Extra flights are scheduled for evacuation of French nationals.
So that's the situation. No rice. No bread. Geiger counters. And the French government telling its citizens to get out of Dodge.
A British rescue team from International Rescue Corps came to Japan on Monday. They had helped in 32 countries before this and only ever had problems with the governments in China and Afghanistan. Here they couldn't get the right paperwork from the British Embassy. So they went back home on Wednesday. Disappointed probably wouldn't describe their feelings adequately.
We pray that everyone in Fukushima prefecture and Miyagi prefecture who doesn't have a home now has managed to find some shelter and warmth and food and water. Relief trucks don't have enough fuel. And tonight it is snowing with temperatures below zero Celsius/in the twenties Fahrenheit.
How to help
I gave some links in my first earthquake post. This page of links includes information about helping through the Japanese Red Cross and itunes and paypal http://storify.com/1rick/japan-quake-how-can-i-help
There are some live news blogging/information sites which are quite helpful like the Guardian, the BBC and CNN but by far the fastest, most comprehensive and best information is on the twitter links below.
great twitter sites
Great real-time information - thank you, thank you to all these guys for giving us real information as it happens
03-16-2011 05:51 AM 
This is a follow-up post about the serious situation in Japan. It is not about budo. 