Japan

I just returned from a business trip to Japan, near Tokyo. Alert readers may recognize that there was an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster a few hundred km north of there. The aftermath of these events, particularly the nuclear issues, prompted an earlier than planned return. Honestly, the news is showing panic and disarray in Tokyo that just wasn't there. Across the street from my hotel in Makuhari, for example, was a grocery store and gas station, neither of which was experiencing sustained long lines or buyouts. Apparently there was some of that a week ago, right after the earthquake. But the roads are open, and there are not the shortages being portrayed on tv, at least in the greater Tokyo area. Think of it this way, when Katrina hit the US, there were a few country-wide consequences - mainly oil prices - but the actual damage affected only a small portion of the US. So, the fear-mongering conveyed by the english-speaking media is, arguably, a little overblown. On the other hand, Japanese media is telling people that there is little to fear, and is generally not completely believed by the Japanese. So, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. In any case, it seemed like a good time to not be in Japan.

It was my first visit to the country, and I did have the pleasure of experiencing a bit of the culture between meetings in the few days I was there. I found that horse sashimi is not as horrible as it sounds (at least taste-wise, although I don't think I would go out of my way to get it), shabu-shabu is awesome (and apparently almost unheard-of in the US), crowding on trains at rush-hour is unlike anything I have experienced anywhere (although for sheer tightness the Rome subway was close), and they have technology that is a bit ahead of what we see here (I saw the thinnest smartphone (android) I have ever seen - I want one!). Our hosts were wonderful.

Anyway, I'm glad to be home with kids on my lap. I missed em.