Japan’s Armageddon

Do you remember Bruce Willis’ Armageddon? In that film an asteroid headed to Earth and unless it was blocked, the Earth would be crashed and unimaginable disaster would come about. The solution was to implant nuclear bomb in the asteroid so as to explode it in outer space. The chosen few doing the job is given to the oil-drilling master led by Bruce Willis. I am so moved when seeing the team set out as the mellow soundtrack of Leaving on the Jet Plan was played. The fate of the world was in a handful of people.

In a similar vein, 71 year ago, during the World War II, when Britain threatened by German invasion, the British government hinged much on the chosen few Royal Air Force pilots. The situation was horrible due chiefly to the mighty of German war machine including German Luftwaffe. During the visit to RAF Operation Room, the then-British Prime Minister uttered the famous quotes: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

The huge temblor of 9.0 Richter scale has just rattled Japan. Unfortunately, the disaster becomes triple whammy: earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe. The earthquake and tsunami have made the cooling system of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station out of commission. The Japan’s technicians are now scrambling to fix it. However, the progress is still unclear whether the calamity is under control or not. And the last information said that to prevent the disaster Japan pins hopes on 50 workers who are still in the facilities. The brave 50 workers become the Japan’s so much owed by so many to so few.

Depending our survival on few people should become the last option. What will happen if they can’t manage the problem? It’s too risky. In terms of nuclear power usage, the bet of disaster probability must not be taken. The bad news is that many developing countries have installed the very nuclear facilities. It’s chilling picture of our earth. The well-prepared Japan has found it difficult to manage the emergency situation, let alone the fledgling experts in developing countries.

It’s better now to promote the research and development of renewable energy such as solar, wind, wave or bio material. We don’t want any Armageddon, particularly man-made one.

* * * * *