I started reading this thread when it opened but I missed the last 10 pages while working. It is late here so I am off to bed so I won't read
everything but I wanted to drop a note regarding some of the specifics about the area that iAnjo is living in (I lived there for 10 years) and also an
update from a friend.
Camp Zama is here:
link
NAF Atsugi is here:
link
As you can see NAF Atsugi is an air field (Naval Air Facility). They have on-site, or access to, 727s, 757s, Airbus aircraft and anything else they
can land there. If an evac is necessary Zama, where iAnjo is, is only about 4.8km (if memory serves) from NAF Atsugi, gate to gate. If all else
fails Zama and Atsugi have helicopters and can ferry people that way. So, if, or when, they decide to evac there will be no problem getting people
out.
Additionally, all military and civilians working in Japan for the military are required to have a NEO package. This is an evac package in the event
something bad happens. Everyone knew Japan would have a bad quake some day and there is always the possibility that North Korea would do
something...odd...so everyone is required to plan for an evac. So, the planning is already done.
The bases are quite safe as well. They both have large clinics on them staffed with numerous doctors and nurses as well as corpsmen. They have
various health specialists and scientists who are already there who can test for radiation levels and treat any illnesses. So that is covered as
well.
Finally, all the buildings on the bases are made of cement brick and most are multi-floor (well, except some of Zama and Sagamihara housing, those are
wood). This is good to prevent exposure.
So, iAnjo is about as safe as you can get in Japan.
As for the update. An old japanese friend who lives and works in Ayase (NAF Atsugi) has stated that there is some level of heightened radiation but
all the docs on base say it is still OK and that everyone should stay inside. They are having rolling blackouts throughout the city still. Multiple
times a day and for multiple hours.
Conspiracy theorists: there is no conspiracy. If there were high enough radiation levels there would be no way to keep that a secret. The docs would
check and they would tell someone in their clinic who would tell someone who would eventually tell some gossipy LT or E-3 who would just blab to
everyone. These bases are small and everyone knows everyone. Like a small town, there are no secrets. So, the military isn't keeping people in the
dark and allowing them to die while hiding some awful truth. They are doing what the military does. Keeping everyone calm while in a back room
someplace there are a bunch of senior officers who are frantically brainstorming on every possible scenario and then finding a solution to each one of
those. This way, no matter what, iAnjo, and everyone else, will be taken care of.
Nihon no tame ni inoru!