We are exhausted. We have to look at every food item we eat, we only use bottled water for cooking, and on top of that every day we confront this nagging dilemma whether it's really safe for our child

No wonder people keep topping themselves - it must be so stressful that you'd just want to lock yourself in a dark room for a month. Except that a lot of them don't have any rooms of their own. And of course, regardless what the govt. tells you, you can't really believe them. I hope everyone stay strong, with faith that things will get better.

If you can afford to move further away South by South West please do.

Or, take the approach we all got to kick the bucket at some time and we never know when the clock stops ticking. Might be tomorrow in a road accident, etc.

Agree it must be absolutely stressful for people up there, but many seem to be able to cope and say what comes will come just got to keep moving forward.

Might sound defeatist to some but to other it is a more realistic meaning we got to go on even if worse is to come later on.

If you don't worry about your own mortality and live with an idea that it can happen at any time, IMO, it makes life easier.

Just need to live your life trying to be better and stronger tomorrow than today, and that is a philosophy that will help anyone. Try to better yourself day by day and your surroundings will be stronger for it. Yet, at the same time also accept that it has to end and we don't know when it comes so good to be prepared.

Of course moving away is an option for some, for the rest ...

Nuclear contamination is dangerous and living near the source of such is dangerous.

Protection of children is a priority so leaving the area is the answer.

However, just by living in Japan especially Honshu now means that the risk of radiation exposure well above the norm will steadily become a fact of life...............

@Zenny: Are you sure you want your post to come over like that? Reads callous, even glib. These people are probably all very aware about 'when the clock stops' but these people are worrying themselves ill about their CHILDREN. Come on, plug into the humanity of it, the desperation and fear for their CHILDREN. That what this quote is focused, maybe you needed to read from who the quote was from?

YongYang.

I post it as I see it and many Japanese also agree.

And, yes, I read the quote and I am also in touch with people up that way that disagree with the quote.

No-one is saying all is good but excessive worry, etc will only cripple a person taking/providing the needed care of their family.

Above quote seems to me tailored to get certain posters worked up here. ;)

the problem is that government has not been able to do anything but bicker among themselves. there are still people in shelters without aircon. there is no reliable testing of produce from the area to speak of so how can anyone be expected to buy their produce.

Zeny11,

You are making a very insensitive comment. I would assume you could be considered responsible from the well (or unwell)-being of your own family but please do not go talking about this "shoganai" approach to people living under such conditions as mentioned in the comment.

The worst part of your comment is, if you stick to that approach, you would be doing nothing to make past mistakes right and leave a better future for coming generations. You would be keeping the status quo.

People also have social responsibilities. When an event like that occurs, one should do all in one's power to make the responsible people pay for their mistakes so that those mistakes are not repeated again. Because in most cases, those who are responsible usually get away with what is done, if there is minimal reaction from those who are affected. Then the cycle repeats itself. Japan is no different than any other place in the world. It is one's duty not just to himself/herself but to the society that he/she lives in, his children and future generations. "Try to better yourself day by day and your surroundings will be stronger for it" is not the same as this.

Maybe your comments do imply what I am talking about, but I just could not see it.

Kronos.

If I struck a nerve, I apologise. On the same token a nerve that hurts when struck might hurt for other reasons/causes.

The people up there have to help themselves more than the should sit on their hineys and wait for outside help and I am sure the majority understand that.

Peace.

@Zen --there's an oxymoron-- "Many Japanese" what? The ten people you kow? Whose sitting on their asses? No one is. What are you on about you insensitive 'I am alright Jack' you lot need to get on your bikes and pullyour socks up? Phff. Mate. Get real. These people need help, advice, reassurance, jobs, a FUTURE. It's part of the Social Contract between state and citizen, very BASIC stuff, for even the simpliest of minds ;-)

@Kronos

You are making a very insensitive comment. I would assume you could be considered responsible from the well (or unwell)-being of your own family but please do not go talking about this "shoganai" approach to people living under such conditions as mentioned in the comment.

I don't think Zenny was making an insensitive comment.

Call the ball - Roger Ball. You have to call it as you see it. This is a society that believes in "Shoganai". I didn't even learn the word in a Japanese class. I heard it so many times that it was easy to pick up.

It's a choice, move and live, stay and die or worse fry. It's okay to disagree with the WHAT Zenny11 had to say but after reading his initial post over and over I could see he was very tactful. He speculated and considered how people would respond to his ideas. It's a beautiful post even though it's dark in nature.

Japanese aren't going anywhere. It's not an option. So if the food is contaminated or if the air we breath is poisen, Japanese are going to take a big bite and say "Shoganai" That helps them get through the day and the kids can go outside to play. It's all they have left.

I would be worried about taking a shower too...

Hmmm, I can understand how she feels. It is worrying being here in Tokyo even, with children. We have had some new Mums and kids enter our kindie class recently, evacuees from Fukushima. They are all concerned but trying to get on with their lives as best they can. One has a firefighter husband who has to stay up there and she is worried about him.

i can understand what Zenny is saying. I have seen some friends around me go crazy with worry., often actually with little reason. If moving away is not an option for you, what choice do you have but to get on with it as best you can? But the worry is always there, and I think for parents it is especially worrying.

I am also in touch with people up that way that disagree with the quote

Zenny11 -- wow, you are "in touch with people up that way". And that gives you the right to lecture this woman on how she should feel going into the FIFTH month of this crisis, with no apparent resolution in site????? Get real man. Ever hear the expression about not truly knowing about something until you walk in that person's shoes? I'd suggest you take it under consideration. And, please show me where in this quote that it indicates in even the slightest way that she is not shouldering on and coping the best she can? All it says is that it is incredibly stressful up there and the government needs to move quicker to improve conditions.

I agree with Zenny in part; choosing not to be consumed with worry and fighting the good fight to the end are admirable qualities. They will serve people well in the tsunami damaged areas of Miyagi and Iwate. But I fear the situation in Fukushima is different and calls for a different response. Life will return to even the most ravaged coastlines of Miyagi and Iwate, as it always has. Those towns have a future. Many areas in the eastern half of Fukushima prefecture, however, including Fukushima City and Koriyama, may simply be too radioactive to sustain human life in the long term. If that's the case, trying to continue on with life as usual there is pointless. Go to where there is hope and a future, if you can. Those who can't leave should channel their worry and anger into efforts to demand more from their government, whether that means a widening of the mandatory evacuation zone or more aggressive decontamination efforts. Yes, that stuff will be expensive. Japan can afford it. What Japan can't afford is a significant percentage of its children, a fast-dwindling resource, not surviving to adulthood.

When the radiation levels are high all OVER Kanto not just Fukushima I can see a massive movement of people to Kansai in this decade.How long it will take for sickness to spread I don't know but when it does there will be a mass movement!

Think Tokyo is safe? Think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS57otEiNA8

My God YongYang - I often disagreed, but did used to enjoy reading your well written posts, but you are beginning to come over a very hysterical now. Time for you to get yourself off to Narita I think.

@Rain: If you don't 'understand' the hysteria, you don't understand the problem, pal.

Just in http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/16_11.html