Disaster Prevention in Tokyo

Today is 2010 September 1. The 87th anniversary of the 「関東大震災」 (“Great Kanto Earthquake“) that destroyed the Tokyo area on 1923 September 1.

So every year on September 1st in Japan, it’s called 「防災の日」 (“Disaster Prevention Day”).

On this day, fire departments give fire and earthquake safety tips to people, schools hold earthquake drills, and people are encouraged to check and maintain their “earthquake kits” that are recommended to be in every home.

It is said that in Japan’s history, a major earthquake has struck on average every eighty years. So it is expected that Tokyo is due for another one.
I really hope not!

No major earthquakes have struck Tokyo in a long while (“knock on wood”), but a different disaster has hit Tokyo this summer.
A heat wave.

It was reported on the news today that the temperature this summer in Tokyo has been the hottest in 113 years!
The temperature reached 35°C a number of times this summer.
Over a hundred people died from heat stroke and thousands were hospitalized.

It has been brutally hot in Tokyo this summer…and the forecast for the rest of this week says the heat and humidity will continue.

"Uchimizu" is a traditional Japanese custom of throwing water onto the streets to lower the temperature in the city a bit.

Some Japanese news…

From the news today…

♦ The temperature in Tokyo reached a peak of 38°C (about 100°F) today.
It was extremely hot and humid.
A number of people were treated at hospitals for heat-stroke.

♦ Japan has been the world’s #2 economy (behind the U.S.) for years…but today China’s economy passed Japan.
As of today, for the first time, China has the world’s #2 economy and Japan is at #3.
I wonder how long it will remain like that, or if Japan will quickly resume it’s place as the second strongest economy.

♦ A Japanese man, Masao Tsutsui, had been held ransom by a crime ring in Colombia.
The kidnappers demanded 1 billion pesos (47 million yen (about US $500,000)) for his release.
After nearly four months, he was released today. It was reported that a ransom was paid for his release, but it’s not clear yet who exactly paid the ranson or how much was paid.

Were any of these stories reported in the news in your country?