The Good and the Not So Good

The good news is that Tokyo Disneyland is closed for the time being.  This alone increases Japan's cultural value by about an order of magnitude.  The reason is that Disneyland is very energy-expensive, as it consumes the same amount of electricity as 60,000 normal households.  When electrictiy needs to be preserved to avoid blackouts, Disneyland doesn't make the cut.  In addition, Disneyland suffered significant damage during the quake as it is built on reclaimed land and was subject to liquefaction.  One can only hope that the whole things will be 'declaimed' and will sink into the sea.

The not-so-good news is that yesterday's unavoidable release of low-level radioactive water into the sea around Fukushima has resulted in an avalanche of paranoia about seafood.  The release has put Japanese seafood at risk, at least in terms of perception.  Seafood prices are down, and fish from Fukushima is almost unsellable.  Japanese seafood will almost certainly be banned in foreign countries, perhaps for a long time.  The situation was not helped by the revelation today that measurements of radiation on Saturday of water outside the plant showed the radiation level several million times that of normal.  Now that is from a very low starting level, and will certainly be diluted by the vast Pacific Ocean.  But those kind of numbers freak people out.

Tepco is talking about compensation for the fishing industry.  The total cost of the Fukushima debacle, including the effect on agriculture and fishing, will likely run into the billions of dollars (already they are talking about trillions of yen), and there is no way that Tepco can shoulder that, meaning that the eventual cost will be born by the national government.

But for me it all evens out.

Because Disneyland is closed.

Tokyo Disneyland: radiation takes its toll