Earthquake at Kiba, Koto-ku, Japan - Training to act when earthquake happens

The announcement came in Japanese language that an earthquake happening at Kiba and all are instructed to go under the desk till further announcement.

I took my safety helmet issed to me and with a towel in hand rushed to the bottom of the desk to save the life. My Japanese colleague was there under the desk. The total office was silent and I felt as if everything will fall on my head. The announcement said the earthquake magnitude measured Shindo 4.o.

Shindo is the counterpart of Richter used by the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity to measure earthquakes in Japan. It is used in Taiwan also to indicate the strength of earthquakes. Richter magnitude scale measures the total magnitude of the earthquake, and represents the size of the earthquake with a single number whereas the Shindo describes the degree of shaking at a point on the Earth's surface. Because of this, the measure of the earthquake varies from place to place, and a given quake may be described as shindo 4 in Tokyo, shindo 3 in Chiba and so on.

Around 5 minutes we kept our breath to allow the things to fall down and waited for further announcement. Another announcement came telling us that the evacuation is now going on and they have contacted Tokyo Fire fighting for rescue operations and all are instructed to be under the desk for some more time. The evacuation will start from the top floor to the down floor.

Lifts can not be used and we have to get down through stair case. The announcement told us to keep discipline and do not make rush as it will create more casualties. Some where the smoke and fire will be there and people should not accidently jump into the fire while they madly rush to escape. Discipline even at the time of disaster is important to save ourselves and to save others as well.

We followed the instruction and when they told, one by one started moving down to the building. The eight story building housed approximately 300 people and the whole process took 20 minutes for them to take the whole staff out.

When we went out of the building, everybody was waiting outside in queuee for instruction. We followed them silently. There was a tent opened and we covered the mouth with the towel and were instructed to stand in queuee.

Two Tokyo Fire fighting vehicles came with siren and entered to the building premise. The action was quick and fire fighters jumped out of the vehicle and some of them wearing fire proof uniform rushed to the building to save those who could not come out.

The aerial ladders were lifted to the sky with one fireman to save the life of those trapped at the top floors. We witnessed the whole sequence of action. Tokyo Fire fighters are professional at their every action. Within seconds they reached to the top of the building and started rescue operation.

From fifth floor there was a 'help call' and the aerial ladder reached there suddenly. One fireman entered through the window and helped one staff who could not move down himself. The fireman lifted him to the box in the aerial ladder and he was took down safely.

The earth was still quaking, but the rescue operation continued. Some firemen could save a few people from the top of the building carrying them at their back and sliding down through the rope. When they reached down safely we clapped in appreciation.

There were no casualties reported ! Obviously !

This was a training given to us today to act in emergency if real earthquake happens.

Tokyo Fire Department provides training to fight disasters and help the public to become aware of the precautions they can take in case of emergencies. Learn how to Prepare for an earth quake 10 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR AN EARTHQUAKE

Interesting new waiters in a Japanese Pub

The first time I noticed the politeness and activeness of Japanese waitresses was when colleagues arranged a welcome party after my arrival to Japan. The party was at traditional Japanese restaurant. At that time I could not remember the name of the dishes ordered for party. Everything was purely Japanese food as it was my initiation to Japanese food.

Japanese waitresses and waiters are remarkably polite and guaranteed, we will be pleased. I had many times bad experience at some restaurants not getting enough attention, but that was not in Japan. Japanese waitresses are so polite that they use honorific form of Japanese to talk with customers.

Japanese restaurant staff are alert and vigilant to serve the customers. We will be pleased and will not mind for waiting for long time also, since he or she will be always there with a smiling face and always say sorry for the delay. I have many times thought, how we could show the angry face to a Japanese restaurant staff even if the service is delayed ! Such a pleasing service and care to the customers they show that we may put off our busy schedules and would rather prefer to wait!

Today I was browsing through the Reuters report and saw an interesting news about a restaurant waiter at a Japanese pub Kayabukiya. This bar is north of Tokyo and interestingly the waiters are not humans. They are a pair of monkeys named Yat-chan and Fuku-chan. Chan is another form of san used in Japanese language to call beloved younger ones.

Reuters reports that Fuku-chan is fond of first shift and is active in helping customers to hand over the hot towels before order for the nomimono (drinks). Fuku-chan has two years experience only and his duty is to hand over the hot towels to the customers. He is four years old now.

Both Yat-chan and Fuku-chan are appreciated by the customers to the bar. They will give them boiled soya-beans to eat.

Watch the video from Reuters,

Right or Wrong, Just obey the boss - Working in a Japanese company

Working in a Japanese company demands people to shed most of their past working at their home country itself ! This message has been conveyed to me through many incidents happened to some of my colleagues working in a Japanese company. But ultimately, the things will turn out to be good for the individual.

One of the basic essential element of Japanese work culture is 'obedience'. Disobedience is not at all encouraged or tolerated in a Japanese company. Obedience is not only limited to the Japanese work culture, infact it is one of the behavioral aspect of almost all Japanese. Japanese obedience to the law, obedience to parents, teachers, doctors and other prominent figures in the society is remarkably higher than any other country. This doesn't mean that other countries have higher levels of disobedience.

Japanese obedience to the boss and the system has become popular to the rest of the world through Japan's participation in Second world war, where as per most of the western historian, Japan was dragged into the war by a group of misinformed leadership. Her suffering and myseries out of that wrong decision is not to mention and not a subject of discussion today. Whatever be the consequence, obey the boss is the primary thing a Japanese is supposed to do.

When I was doubtful about the effectiveness of machine physiotherapy suggested by my Japanese doctor and expressed my concern to go back to my country for further treatment, I was told to just obey the doctor and trust him by my boss.

Exactly like a Nihonjin, I obeyed my boss and continued the physiotherapy treatment with Japanese doctor. As of today I am only the beneficiary of my obedience to my boss. He told me to just obey the doctor. I obeyed both my boss and doctor. I got the result good and now I am able to recover through the method suggested by my doctor. It is assumed that seniors know well what the juniors want and always suggest the good their juniors.

It is this mentality of Japan, that 'seniors know what the juniors want' lead Japanese people to follow year old cultural trait of obedience. Teachers are well respected in Japanese society. Even a doctor is called 'Sensei' same as a Teacher. This is like 'Guru' which is used in India to denote a person of high respect. Guru is rather a teacher with higher knowledge and spiritual appearance. Sensei in Japan is a person at a respectable position, who advise good things to people. Obeying sensei is always considered an obligation to the people.

Before preparing the mind to work in a Japanese company, be sure to offset the mentality of 'Individual achievements'. Individual is not important in Japan. It is the group, the collective idea which will be counted as important in Japan. This psychological approach has led to many complex thought processes and behavioral mutations over many years in Japanese society which led many people to leave their 'ego' at home.

With grudge at the core of the mind, people continue to obey the boss. Over a period of time it will be proved to them that the boss was right and afterall the decision of the boss was in favor of the company. A Japanese boss never takes a decision in favor of an individual which is not in favor of the company. The interdepartmental transfers and work assignments decided by a boss is also a collective decision in favor of the company.

Personal ego has very less value in a Japanese company. This is one of the most important thing to be kept in mind and to be reminded self while being in Japan. Individual ego and individual ideas which is not useful for a group is not going to be entertained in Japanese companies. Curse the boss is the only thing you can do in Japan. But the time will prove that the boss was right.

But there are instances, where the subordinate can influence the decision of the boss. That should be well before the boss discuss the matter with his boss and other groups and reach to a collective decision. Once the decision is taken, there are almost zero possibility for a change. It will be fianl and our duty will be just to obey.

Obviously, there are many ways to disobey the boss. That can be done by submitting the resignation, but that will cost the job itself !