Unfairness in the
decision for “Compulsory Scheduled Power Shutdown (CSPS)” by the
Government and Tokyo Electrical Power Company (TEPCO)
The latest report from Tokyo Metropolitan area
in Japan after the attack of the East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.
March 26th 2011
First of all, on the behalf of all of the contributors for this Blog, I’m very sorry about the recent natural disaster, “East Japan Earthquake”, which hit Japan on the 11th of March, Friday 2011. This unimaginably huge earthquake hit the north-east part of Japan mostly. Several big tidal waves, Tsunami, killed many people, and destroyed civilian activities and daily life. By now, it is reported that more than 10 thousands’ people were killed and more than another 10 thousands’ people are missing. It also put the Fukushima nuclear power plant into no operation. The nuclear power plant runs out of control and is disseminating radio-active contamination.
Many Japanese people as well as foreign rescue team from many countries have been working so hard to rescue people. Also, brave and praiseworthy people have been working very hard to settle the problems in the nuclear power plant. I am very proud that all of the Japanese people are devoting themselves to improve the damage caused by this disaster and tolerating their difficulties in daily life. I believe and am sure that Japanese people will finally overcome this time of hardships. I believe any kind of tragedy will be ended by the co-operation of many people.
Although Fukushima nuclear power plant is located outside Tokyo Metropolitan area, it is one of the important sources for electrical power in this area. All of the buildings, houses, manufacturing companies, railways, and other facilities in Tokyo Metropolitan area are supplied electricity solely from Tokyo Electrical Power Company (TEPCO). In another word, Tokyo Metropolitan area stands at the sacrifice of many people and regions outside Tokyo.
TEPCO announced on March 13th Sunday under the permission by the Japanese Government that “Compulsory Scheduled Power Shutdown (CSPS)” would be introduced. CSPS was introduced to reduce the total consumption of the electrical power in Tokyo Metropolitan area and to prevent the possible accidental power shutdown around the whole area. They divided Tokyo Metropolitan area into 5 areas. Each area may have several sessions of CSPS lasting for 2 to 4 hours every day. The exact schedule will be announced several days before. Nobody can resist this power shutdown. It suddenly starts when the scheduled time comes. My hospital is belonging to Group 5 and had 5 times of CSPS by now. Our electrolyzed modern hospital had big influences each time. We had to stop the outpatient clinic as well as surgeries, X-ray or blood analysis examinations, and so on. Of course, all of the life-supporting systems for critically ill patients (respirators, monitors, infusion pumps, extra-corporeal cardiac and pulmonary support system, and so on) stop after the short emergency battery back-up period.
All of the traffic signals on the public roads turned off suddenly. No heating or lightings are available in the houses. Most of the shopping centers, companies or factories have to stop their business. The area under CSPS turns dark for 2 to 4 hours. Some of the patients, who are living in their own houses, have a lot of problems. For example, some cannot treat themselves for daily peritoneal hemodialysis, or some cannot have therapeutic inhalation of anti-asthmatic medicine. Many kids or elementary-, junior-, or high-school students can neither play nor study in their schools or home under CSPS.
Yes, we will accept any kinds of difficulties caused by CSPS. Our daily lives are much better than those of the people suffering from the direct attacks of the earthquake and Tsunami. We are happy and willing to do something or anything better for them.
From the newspapers or broadcastings, we are afraid that you might misunderstand CSPS was being conducted evenly for the area and people under the electrical power supply by TEPCO. From the beginning, the most central parts of Tokyo City are eliminated from the area for CSPS. Many regions within the area for CSPS are always eliminated from the actual conduction of CSPS. Many companies, facilities, houses or people, and so on never experience Power Shut Down even during the period of CSPS in these areas. On the other hand, many areas are suffering from many times of CSPS almost every day. We have been asking what the reasons are for this unfair distribution for CSPS to the Government, TEPCO, TV stations or Newspapers companies. However, we are very sorry that we have not yet any reasonable reasons replied from them yet.
Japan has a world-famous and proud Constitution. The 14th article of Japanese Constitution declares that any nation shall be fairly treated under the law, and that any nation shall not be discriminated in terms of political or economic status or social relationships by his/her race, belief, sex, social position or origin. We would like to stress again that we would accept any kinds of difficulties, if we could do something better for the people suffering from the direct attack of the earthquake and/or Tsunami. However, any kinds of restriction to people shall be conducted under the general concept of fairness. That is our public and fair claim.
Again, we request that any kinds of restriction to a nation shall be conducted under the general concept of fairness according to the 14th article of Japanese Constitution. This request is also issued against CSPS by the Government and TEPCO.
