Letter from Japan

Foreword:
I was in Japan when the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011 struck off the coast of northeastern Japan. Unlike the many foreigners caught up in mass hysteria who were in Japan at that time and who packed up and left on the first available flights out of the country, I chose to have some perspective and not to be gripped by irrational fear (although I was afraid), and stayed on to demonstrate my solidarity with my friends in Japan.
An edited version of the following piece that I wrote was published on the top page of the Straits Times Forum on March 15, 2011. The Straits Times is the national newspaper of Singapore. I was also quoted here in this article:
http://www.connexion.sg/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=10206&folderId=10514&name=DLFE-11304.pdf

"I am in Japan at the moment for a short trip, visiting my girlfriend. Immediately after Friday's magnitude 9.0 earthquake (based on latest revisions), a tsunami warning was issued for the area where we live in, which is less than 3km away from the nearest beach. The warning is still in place even now as I write this, although the alert level has since been downgraded considerably.

Bearing witness to Friday's earthquake - the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan - and the devastation in its aftermath has been a humbling experience. In sunny, sterile Singapore, when we hear or read about natural calamities on the news, it is usually with arm's length indifference, because the disaster is happening half-way across the world, so far away from where we are. Our thoughts and prayers right now are undoubtedly with the people of Japan.

Late on Friday night, we were hastily putting together an emergency kit and planning our route of advance so that if the tsunami siren sounds, we could quickly jump into the car and drive off to head for higher ground. It all felt a little surreal and reminded me of the high alert "prep-for-ops" routine during active National Service days. The day after, life was still going on as normal in our locale (which was mercifully and fortunately spared any damage). People could have chosen to stay indoors and be afraid and cautious, but instead they were out and about, calmly stocking up on essentials such as water and rice, and patronising the local Pachinko parlour, supermarket, restaurants, cafes, etc, as they would any other weekend; the car parks were almost full. People chose to continue with Life, rather than be afraid. But even now, there is still an atmosphere of caution because of the risk of aftershocks and consequent tsunamis.

Not long after the earthquake struck, Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan asked for " -- the people of Japan to exercise the spirit of fraternity and act fast and to assist one's family and neighbors -- "

"Spirit of fraternity". When push comes to shove, will we as Singaporeans also be able to band together as a tribe, dig in our heels, and call upon and manifest this spirit of fraternity to help one another and face down adversity?

It is time to put aside our petty differences, and even pettier squabbles, and work together to progress as a nation."