The Prefectures affected the most are Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki, which represent about 7 per cent of Japan’s economy and house steel plants, oil refineries, nuclear power plants and factories manufacturing parts for cars and electronic goods.
While earthquake resistant buildings and safety of dams and nuclear plants are important, orderly public behaviour under stress, as demonstrated by the Japanese people, is also vital.
North Korea’s offer of a dialogue is unlikely to elicit a positive response from South Korea which instead is militarily drawing closer to Japan to enhance deterrence.
The conflict over rare earths is not only a consequence of the monopoly amassed by China but is also reflective of the current flux in global power hierarchies.
Kan’s statement about sending the SDF to the Korean peninsula to rescue Japanese citizens and people of Japanese origin in the event of an emergency has raised the spectre of a possible revival of Japanese militarism.
