High Waves and Strong Winds Prevail

As Hurricane Irene  wreaked havoc on the East coast of the U.S. in August, a similar summer cyclone storm was developing in the Northwest Pacific Ocean heading toward Japan.  This raging storm became Typhoon Number 12.  Most damage was done in Wakayama Prefecture as the typhoon slowly moved across the lower middle section of the archipelago, eventually moving away from Japan in a northeasterly direction.  The Yomiuri Shimbun (newspaper) reported  29 people had died with 51 people missing on September 6.

Typhoons are simply intense cyclone storms (large low pressure systems) that develop as warm waters make contact with rising moisture from the ocean’s surface.  They become typhoons when winds reach at least 56 miles per hour.

Hurricanes are usually given names, but in Japan typhoons are numbered from the first one that might form as early as May to the end of the typhoon season usually in October.  August and September are peak months for the formation of typhoons in and around Japan.  Each year is different, but as many as 30 typhoons may form each year.  Okinawa Prefecture may be affected by as many as one-third of the typhoons in the area.  However, any area of Japan might be influenced by a typhoon.

The most recorded damage from a typhoon occurred during the Hakata Bay Typhoon of 1281.  It was reported that 65,000 people lost their lives.  15,000 more people perished in the Nagasaki Typhoon in 1828.  The Isewan Typhoon in 1959 cost the lives of 5,000 people.  The largest recorded loss of life unfortunately happened in the Bay of Bengal in the Great Bhola Cyclone in Bangladesh in 1970.  It is unimaginable to me, but 500,000 lives were lost.

A Super Typhoon Developing

Luckily I have never experienced any real danger during a typhoon.  I do not live near water where there is often casualties, but I have felt the strong winds and sudden downpours that a typhoon does bring.  Japan is a wonderful place to live, but I do remind myself that not only earthquakes, but also typhoons can cause a lot of problems for people living here.

Much Too Early!

I gazed at my alarm clock and it once again read 4:15 a.m.  The warblers outside my window along with the cicadas were having their morning meetings making sure I was awake.  But it is only 4:15 a.m. and I am wide awake as light begins to filter through the cracks of my drapes declaring a new morning..  This summer time pattern for me has worn out its welcome.

I have an ingenious idea!  How about converting over to summer time or as I used to know it in Wisconsin as daylight saving time?  I wonder if there is any chance of that morning sun postponing its greeting to me by an hour.  This thought enters my mind almost every day as I honestly think that no one has to be up at the crack of dawn, especially when it is only a bit after 4:00 a.m.!

Japan along with S. Korea and Iceland are the only countries among the 30 members who belong to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) that do not follow daylight saving time.  Japan has tried daylight saving time, but that was during the Allied Occupation between the years 1948 and 1951.  It was eventually considered inconvenient and the idea of daylight saving time may have been considered since then, but never put into effect.

The major earthquake in Japan in March of this year has officials talking about the idea of adopting the Western concept of daylight saving time once again.  Japan has very hot days and nights during the summer months and the thought of going to daylight saving time would help people to focus on daylight hours and use less electricity at night.  With The Fukushima plant and other thermal plants being affected due to the earthquake, the Japanese government may need to have blackout periods during days where it is so hot and electricity is not available to everyone.  There is also the idea that with the extra hour of light that it might give the hard working Japanese people time to reflect on their lives away from their jobs.

On the other side of the totem pole, there are people who feel that making that one hour adjustment would be quite cumbersome as there would be a lot of clocks and electronic devices that would have to be changed, they would lose an hour of sleep and many workers would be forced to stay longer in the office due to the longer daylight hours.  They also contend that the change to daylight saving time would not affect the amount of electricity that would be consumed during the peak afternoon hours when air conditioners would be used anyway.

So which is it going to be?  Will there ever be a change?  Do I need to purchase thicker drapes and soundproof windows that will not let in the light and sounds of an early morning in Japan?  Would I be able to stand the searing daytime heat knowing that nightfall would be an hour later?  Is it at all practical?

Hiding From The Light

The pros and cons of converting to daylight saving time is probably discussed in the countries that use it every year and I am sure not everyone is pleased with it.  It has been over sixty years since Japan has tried daylight saving time and it might be something that people can truly enjoy.  The government is discussing this now and might be still in discussion when fall rolls around.  Either way, I can still imagine, can’t I?

If daylight saving time does not become reality, you can easily envision me waking each morning to the sound of birds chirping and the morning milkman who manages to defy sleep with his early morning delivery – Yes, at the first sign of daylight!  And just when I try to justify why I need to wake up an hour later each summer morning, a smile comes to my face knowing that at least change might be possible!

I hope you are all enjoying your summer holidays!