Japan Rising

This blog gets its name from my 17 years living and working in Japan. I still miss being there and the events of last week only reinforce those feelings. It's not every day a region gets hit with a M9 earthquake and a major tsunami after all.

I used to joke that since I was in San Francisco area during the Loma Prieta quake that Tokyo was fine so long as I lived there. . .on the theory that lightening wouldn't strike me twice. It seems I wasn't too far off the mark!

But this isn't about me. It's about the amazing resilience of the Japanese people,recounted in so many stories of random acts of kindness. There is much to be proud of but here are a few:

1) The "Fukushima 50" who are risking their own lives to stave off a worst-case meltdown scenario at the damaged nuclear reactors.
2) Edano-san, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, who has been on TV non-stop throughout given the best updates possible. Equally inspiring are the many messages of encouragement he is getting from ordinary Japanese.
3) My own colleagues of my company's office in Japan who have gone the distance to help keep our business running, despite their own fears and concerns for friends and family.
4) The countless stories of people getting on with their lives in the face of unimaginable challenges.
5) The humanitarian efforts of the US military who are doing whatever they can to help.
6) The reasoned and reasonable response of the US Embassy in Tokyo and the US government generally. Even President Obama's speech about Japan was good (yes - credit where it is due).
7) The work of thousands of others to restore basic services to many more.

Japan is a singularly remarkable place. This event is bringing out the best in the people there. It's also events like these where you see first hand who can handle leadership and who can't. This reminds me somewhat of the SARS event in Asia, or even the Red-Shirt protestors in Bangkok last year. All too often senior managers, well-paid and with leadership titles, fail to lead. True leadership can be seen in those who embrace the problem as opposed to those who run away. Unfortunately I saw again senior managers who should know better basically abandoning their posts, leaving it to others to pick up the slack.

I for one volunteered to go to Tokyo. Quite frankly I wish I had been there. Indeed I was there on holiday less than 2 weeks before the earthquake! What I can say is that the technology infrastructure at my current and former companies held up well. That's so important given the critical nature of the financial industry to ensure liquidity and access to money in times of crisis. Especially after the recent financial crises, many say that banking is just a bunch of fat cats living off the money of others. However it is at times like these that I am proud of the financial industry and my work in it.

I could go on - but for now let me just say that I hope the best for everyone in Japan, and especially those most affected. There are true heroes there.

Like a phoenix reborn from the ashes, I'm sure Japan will emerge even stronger. There is a more to the "land of the rising sun" than it's geographic location.

This is truly Japan rising.

Money Meet Mouth

Although I am in Madison, I didn't go down to the state capitol to watch the protestors.

Instead, I made a fat donation to the Wisconsin Republican Party.

It was easy to do on-line.

Wisconsin. Seriously?

I haven't blogged much recently. What prompts me to update now? Here I am sitting in Japan's Narita airport having just left the Narita Express. The news screens on the train include just a handful of stories, but there it is: Madison, Wisconsin - my home town - in the news. Ditto the front page of the Japan times? And it is embarrassing.

Teachers fraudulently calling in sick to protest having to pay a bit closer to the industry average for pension and health insurance?

Doctors handing out medical notices without the benefit of the privacy and record-keeping required by law?

Protestors, many of them also public school teachers, comparing the just elected governor of the state with Hosni Mubarak?

State congress members hiding out? in Rockford? at the Clock Tower Inn?

Seriously?

I might have imagined that behavior in Illinois perhaps but Wisconsin?

Good thing I'm on my way to Madison now. I can't do much but lend the elected majority moral support and call out this silliness for what it is: An assault on the democratically elected will of the majority of Wisconsin voters.

Wisconsin is not Greece with snow.

Hang in their Governor Walker! The taxpayers are on your side. Sound government will prevail over thuggery.

On, Wisconsin.