The Japan Times for January 1, 2011 offered this article on a cesium scanning store with the title “The New Normal?”
The implications are striking, if perhaps a bit overblown. Imagine what it would be to have long-term scanning for cesium, and possibly other isotopes, in Japan as part of the quotidian landscape?
I argued previously that I believe the Fukushima accident is the biggest game changer in East Asia and that its full implications are just starting to be felt. Let us hope that we can redirect the natural human concern with “security” to the issues that really are a threat in this world. The challenges of environment and energy top that list.
As an aside on the topic of Japan, there was a remarkable article by Clyde Prestowitz in Foreign Affairs titled “What if Japan really is Number One” in which he argues that in spite of everything Japan remains central in the global economy. I wish the article had more meat, but I remain convinced that Japan remains central.