I got to Narita, and just as they were reporting, it was a madhouse. I nervously asked Information where I would be able to find Immigration and was told to go to the fourth floor of the south wing. Sure enough, there was a table there, being swarmed by foreigners, manned by three or so immigration officials.
"Excuse me, I have my revenue stamp, but I don't have my re-entry permit. I tried this morning, but by 10am, Tachikawa's office was already over."
"Eeeeehhh---? Well, okay, you need to fill this in. Then take it to immigration when you are boarding and they will fill it out. Make sure you go early!"
I filled in the form over lunch (first lunch - there would be two more) and noticed that there was an extra page.
"The Immigration Office does not give re-entry permits at the airport. We are, however, making an exception JUST THIS ONCE. Your signature means that you will never again attempt to get a re-entry permit at the airport," was the gist of the form. Annoyed, I signed anyway. I had TRIED to do things the right way. It wasn't my fault if Immigration decided to close an hour after they opened. I told three or so immigration officials this, but no one cared. Next disaster, it seems I'll be out of luck.
The wait was about thirty minutes to get the permit processed at Narita immigration. It was chaos. People had no idea what line in which to stand, or what forms they needed. The staff was doing its best, I believe, but they were overwhelmed. Luckily, airport staff is a heck of a lot nicer and more efficient in Japan than they are in Canada (my apologies to decent airport staff members in Canada, but from my experience, you are few and far between), so the experience wasn't as bad as it might have been. I'm just happy I got my permit.
The flight was packed full. I had an annoying experience at the start, but that was my own fault for not being strong-willed enough. There was more turbulence than I'm used to, which had me gripping the seat and thinking "great, I left Tokyo only to be killed in a plane crash," but, happily, it didn't come to that.
Now, I'm home, safe and sound, for two weeks. Sure, it's nice, but I hate not knowing what's actually going on. I read things like "iodine found in Tokyo drinking water" and start to panic. I hate being separated from my husband. It's unpleasant, but I guess it is best. Three arms might be useful for a child, but the bullying would likely be terrible, I suppose. *sigh* I'll just hope things get better and I can go home in two weeks as planned.
Thank you to all who have been keeping up with me here and sending messages of concern. It's been much appreciated. I'll let you know how Tokyo is doing once I get back home.
Showing posts with label nuclear disaster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nuclear disaster. Show all posts
Saturday, 19 March 2011
The Escape: Part 1
Well, foreigners living in Japan have, like so many bananas, split. It's been a veritable exodus, making the front pages of Japanese newspapers and causing unbelievable backups at immigration offices as people make mad dashes to get their re-entry permits. I had no intention of joining this madness, rising above the various pleas and demands that I return to Canada, until my husband informed me that I'd be leaving the next day. *sigh* It's hard to argue with that, and all of the guilt-tripping (example: you're PREGNANT! PREGNANT women are more vulnerable to radiation poisoning. Think of your BABY!!!"). So, just as my husband had said, the next day I was leaving on a jet-plane, bound for Pearson International Airport.
Just to give you an idea of the madness, I'll tell you about the morning I left:
At about 5am, just before my husband was to get up for work, I gasped and sat up, scaring my poor husband who thought something was physically wrong with me/baby, and exclaimed "I have no re-entry permit!" This is a bad thing. In Japan, if you leave the country with the intention of coming back, but without a re-entry permit, you lose your visa upon your return. This means no working (bye-bye employment), a three-month visitor's visa, and a lot of paperwork to fill in for a new visa. So, before you leave the country, you have to head out to immigration, buy a revenue stamp (single re-entry: 3000 yen; multiple re-entry: 6000 yen), take a number, wait in line, wait for your application to go through, and then head home. The re-entry permit lasts only as long as your visa, so, upon getting a new visa, you have to do the same thing over again.
Now normally, I would have done this well in advance of leaving the country, but this time, there was no time. So, determined to get things done quickly, I headed out the door at 8.30am, arriving at office at about 9.30. I went to buy a revenue stamp at the convenience store. They were all sold out. So, I headed to the post office to get one. The line ran out the door. The people in front of me were almost all buying stamps for their friends, too, which had me worried that the post office would run out, too. Luckily, they didn't. I got my stamp (multiple re-entry. I figured I might as well), and headed to the immigration building. The line there went out the door and down the very, very long street. There were police to keep order. I ducked between two police and got in line. Immediately, an immigration official came up to me.
"I'm sorry, but we're done for the day," he said. (I might point out that it was 10am...TEN FREAKIN' AM).
"Eeeeehhhh----? But my flight leaves today. I have to get a permit," said I.
"Oh, I see. Do you have your ticket?" he asked.
"It's an electronic ticket. All I have is my itinerary," I replied.
"Oh, I see," he said, looking rather worried. "What time do you fly?"
"7pm."
"Oh, I see (the Japanese say this a lot). Well, I'll go ask, but I don't think it's possible."
By this point, I was nearly in tears (sleepy + pregnancy-related emotional instability + not wanting to leave my husband = teary me). He came back a few minutes later shaking his head.
"It's impossible, I'm afraid. Where are you flying from? Narita?"
"Yes," I said, "what should I do?"
"Well, go to Narita and try there."
"TRY, TRY????" I thought. How does one TRY at Narita airport? If one fails, what does one do? Oh well, no choice. I headed to Narita.
Normally, I would take the Chuo line to Shinjuku, then the Narita Express to the airport. It's the way I always do things. It's convenient and comfortable for me. Unfortunately, my attempt to buy a ticket went something like this;
"Excuse me, I'd like to buy a Narita Express ticket, please."
"The Narita Express is not running today," stated the incredibly pre-occupied-with-gluing-something-together staff member.
"Uh, what? What should I do? How should I get to the airport?"
"Track 15 to Nippori. Take the Keisei line," replied Mr. Pre-occupied, without even looking up.
Thankfully, I made it to Nippori and from there things went much more smoothly. But let me tell you, the first few hours of my day nearly had me screaming in rage and frustration.
Just to give you an idea of the madness, I'll tell you about the morning I left:
At about 5am, just before my husband was to get up for work, I gasped and sat up, scaring my poor husband who thought something was physically wrong with me/baby, and exclaimed "I have no re-entry permit!" This is a bad thing. In Japan, if you leave the country with the intention of coming back, but without a re-entry permit, you lose your visa upon your return. This means no working (bye-bye employment), a three-month visitor's visa, and a lot of paperwork to fill in for a new visa. So, before you leave the country, you have to head out to immigration, buy a revenue stamp (single re-entry: 3000 yen; multiple re-entry: 6000 yen), take a number, wait in line, wait for your application to go through, and then head home. The re-entry permit lasts only as long as your visa, so, upon getting a new visa, you have to do the same thing over again.
Now normally, I would have done this well in advance of leaving the country, but this time, there was no time. So, determined to get things done quickly, I headed out the door at 8.30am, arriving at office at about 9.30. I went to buy a revenue stamp at the convenience store. They were all sold out. So, I headed to the post office to get one. The line ran out the door. The people in front of me were almost all buying stamps for their friends, too, which had me worried that the post office would run out, too. Luckily, they didn't. I got my stamp (multiple re-entry. I figured I might as well), and headed to the immigration building. The line there went out the door and down the very, very long street. There were police to keep order. I ducked between two police and got in line. Immediately, an immigration official came up to me.
"I'm sorry, but we're done for the day," he said. (I might point out that it was 10am...TEN FREAKIN' AM).
"Eeeeehhhh----? But my flight leaves today. I have to get a permit," said I.
"Oh, I see. Do you have your ticket?" he asked.
"It's an electronic ticket. All I have is my itinerary," I replied.
"Oh, I see," he said, looking rather worried. "What time do you fly?"
"7pm."
"Oh, I see (the Japanese say this a lot). Well, I'll go ask, but I don't think it's possible."
By this point, I was nearly in tears (sleepy + pregnancy-related emotional instability + not wanting to leave my husband = teary me). He came back a few minutes later shaking his head.
"It's impossible, I'm afraid. Where are you flying from? Narita?"
"Yes," I said, "what should I do?"
"Well, go to Narita and try there."
"TRY, TRY????" I thought. How does one TRY at Narita airport? If one fails, what does one do? Oh well, no choice. I headed to Narita.
Normally, I would take the Chuo line to Shinjuku, then the Narita Express to the airport. It's the way I always do things. It's convenient and comfortable for me. Unfortunately, my attempt to buy a ticket went something like this;
"Excuse me, I'd like to buy a Narita Express ticket, please."
"The Narita Express is not running today," stated the incredibly pre-occupied-with-gluing-something-together staff member.
"Uh, what? What should I do? How should I get to the airport?"
"Track 15 to Nippori. Take the Keisei line," replied Mr. Pre-occupied, without even looking up.
Thankfully, I made it to Nippori and from there things went much more smoothly. But let me tell you, the first few hours of my day nearly had me screaming in rage and frustration.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Aftermath! Part 3
Press Conference by TEPCO (later on)
Dear People of Japan,
Hi! How are ya? Didja hear about that sumo scandal? Unbelievable, am I right? Lying bastards... By the way, to those of you living within a thirty-kilometre radius of the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant, you, uh, might want to go out and buy a hazmat suit. Oh, but if I were you, I wouldn't leave the house, unless you want to end up looking like this handsome fellow.You also *might* want to avoid opening the doors, windows, you know, anything that lets in air from outside. Oh, and you know, I wouldn't eat any fruit or vegetables from around here, but well, I'm kinda picky, so you know, it's up to you. And the water? Doesn't taste so good these days. Yes, that's why you shouldn't drink it. The taste...
One more thing, if you've been outside, dust yourselves off before entering your house, eh? That should get rid of any *radiation* that might, you know, have gotten on you from somewhere.
Dear People of Japan,
Hi! How are ya? Didja hear about that sumo scandal? Unbelievable, am I right? Lying bastards... By the way, to those of you living within a thirty-kilometre radius of the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant, you, uh, might want to go out and buy a hazmat suit. Oh, but if I were you, I wouldn't leave the house, unless you want to end up looking like this handsome fellow.You also *might* want to avoid opening the doors, windows, you know, anything that lets in air from outside. Oh, and you know, I wouldn't eat any fruit or vegetables from around here, but well, I'm kinda picky, so you know, it's up to you. And the water? Doesn't taste so good these days. Yes, that's why you shouldn't drink it. The taste...
One more thing, if you've been outside, dust yourselves off before entering your house, eh? That should get rid of any *radiation* that might, you know, have gotten on you from somewhere.
Aftermath! Part 2
Press Conference by TEPCO (the next day)
Dear People of Japan,
TEPCO is doing everything in its power to control the "situation" at the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant. There was a *minor* problem, well, explosion really, but everything is great. Never better, in fact. A *few* people have been exposed to radiation, but a shower will clean them right up. Everything else in Fukushima? Gold.
Dear People of Japan,
TEPCO is doing everything in its power to control the "situation" at the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant. There was a *minor* problem, well, explosion really, but everything is great. Never better, in fact. A *few* people have been exposed to radiation, but a shower will clean them right up. Everything else in Fukushima? Gold.
Aftermath! Part 1
Press Conference by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)
Dear People of Japan,
You may have heard from *someone* (squinty eyes in the direction of foreign countries and press), that due to the earthquake and tsunami, reactors at the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant have been compromised. I cannot emphasize enough how untrue this is. Mostly. Believe me: we have things under control. I dare say things are peachy.
(TEPCO employee whispers in ear)
Well, uh, it would seem that our backup generators are, uh, oh the fritz. But fear not! We've got it oh so covered. There's a whole ocean out there just full of cold water we can use to fix this. Same stuff that caused the problem. Oh, the ironing is delicious! I mean, irony. I mean, things are peachy.
(sound of explosion)
Er, uh, Blam! Kablooie! Oh, excuse me, it must have been that *bean* I ate at dinner. This press conference is over.
Dear People of Japan,
You may have heard from *someone* (squinty eyes in the direction of foreign countries and press), that due to the earthquake and tsunami, reactors at the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant have been compromised. I cannot emphasize enough how untrue this is. Mostly. Believe me: we have things under control. I dare say things are peachy.
(TEPCO employee whispers in ear)
Well, uh, it would seem that our backup generators are, uh, oh the fritz. But fear not! We've got it oh so covered. There's a whole ocean out there just full of cold water we can use to fix this. Same stuff that caused the problem. Oh, the ironing is delicious! I mean, irony. I mean, things are peachy.
(sound of explosion)
Er, uh, Blam! Kablooie! Oh, excuse me, it must have been that *bean* I ate at dinner. This press conference is over.
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