Japan emperor makes first trip to disaster zone

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and SHINO YUASA

TOKYO (AP) - Japan's revered emperor made his first trip Thursday to the disaster zone since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami destroyed much of the northeast coast and set off a crisis of radiation leaks at a flooded nuclear plant.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited two evacuation shelters Thursday in Asahi city, about 86 kilometers (54 miles) east of Tokyo near the Pacific coast. The royal couple knelt on mats and spoke quietly with evacuees, who bowed deeply. Some wiped tears from their eyes.

Thirteen people died, and some 3,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the city. The emperor and empress plan additional visits to other tsunami-affected areas in coming weeks. Overall, more than 26,000 people are believed to have died in the disaster, though only about 11,250 bodies have been recovered so far.

Nearly 140,000 people are still living in shelters after losing their homes or being advised to evacuate because of concerns about radiation leaking from the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110414/D9MJDIR01.html

[Art_from_Ark]

1. Asahi City got hit fairly hard

Even though the city was supposed to have been relatively sheltered from the tsunami, a YouTube video taken on March 19 shows that there was extensive damage right by the coast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHMkaiA2Ruo

[AsahinaKimi]

2. I do believe this is old news

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x815023

[Art_from_Ark]

3. That time, they were visiting a shelter outside the disaster zone

This time, they are visiting an actual disaster area for the first time-- Asahi City, in Chiba Prefecture. :hi:

[AsahinaKimi]

6. A, sou desu

Machi gaimashita. Gomen nasai. Ark~san ga itta koto wa tadashii desu. Arigatou!

[No Elephants]

4. Did he think he was Bush visiting NOLA after Katrina (way after)?

[AtheistCrusader]

5. This is a big deal for them.

Try not to shit on it.


After the bombing of Nagasaki, for the first time ever, the Japanese people heard the emperor's own voice over the radio. This is a deep gesture for them, for their beliefs. Especially to older generations.