So just ran over this on a couple of the forum I frequent and thought it was noteworthy enough to post about.

It seems that he is mostly black, but his grandmother was Japanese. He is also completely fluent, if you coudn’t already tell from his singing. Really amazing voice and I think it could be really good for enka in general. I have never been interested in it before, but always held a kind of respect for it. Maybe this will cause more interest in the musical form among the younger Japanese generation.

                                    
So the whole nuclear plant situation has always left me with an uneasy feeling as a resident of Japan. This is primarily just the idea that 30% of Japan’s power comes from around 50 plants scattered throughout the fault-line covered  islands. I understand that there are plenty of safeguards against a meltdown caused by an earthquake but it still doesn’t prevent occurrences like this from happening. 

Related to this topic, while browsing the news today I found a very interesting article and video. On the heels of an announcement that the formerly closed Monju reactor in Fukui prefecture would be reopened, a video which had been hidden and covered up until now has leaked onto the internet.  The video was taken right after the 1995 reactor leak when the crew were sent in to investigate the damage. The video itself is worth watching but the article is just as interesting, complete with the staple bureaucratic suicide to top off the entire cover up.

It amazes me that something like this has stayed hidden for well over 10 years. I am glad that it is finally being brought to light but it is somewhat disconcerting that it has taken so long.