Jason Kelly is an author and blogger living in Japan. He has been documenting events at his blog since the earthquake hit last week. In his latest post, aptly titled Cleaned Out, Kelly gives us a picture tour of a grocery store in Sano, Japan, about 40 miles northwest of Tokyo.
According to Jason, infrastructure damage, rolling blackouts and other problems have left about 35% to 50% of all stores in his town closed, with grocery stores completely out of food. Gas stations are either rationing fuel or have run completely dry.
Reports from all over Japan indicate that similar events are unfolding throughout the country.
What your grocery store will look like in an emergency:
The following video was originally posted in our Japan News Updates, but is applicable here. This is an unidentified Japanese city’s grocery store post-Tsunami:
The Guardian reports that panic buying and fear is spreading:
People in the capital, home to 12 million, snapped up radios, torches, candles, fuel containers and sleeping bags, while for the fourth day there was a run on bread, canned goods, instant noodles, bottled water and other foodstuffs at supermarkets.
Retailers said the panic buying was reminiscent of the oil crisis in the 1970s.
The electronics firm Panasonic said it was increasing production of batteries, which were being bought in large quantities as far away as Hiroshima in the south-west.
Fears are rising that if the hoarding frenzy continues it will affect the ability to deliver emergency supplies to the disaster zone. “The situation is hysterical,” said Tomonao Matsuo, a spokesman for the instant noodle maker Nissin Foods. “People feel safer just by buying Cup Noodles.”
Prepare now, because you just never know.
The last place you want to be during a disaster is scrounging for scraps at the grocery store.
A perfect example of the panic buying that ensues depending on the disaster or emergency of the moment is what we are seeing with Potassium Iodide tablets. The essentials will go first, within a matter of hours. If you don’t have what you need before an emergency, don’t plan on getting it after it has happened.
Japan in Jason Kelly’s own words:
So it went. Wave after wave coursed through the land, sending power lines swinging and roofs crashing and the ocean surging. The trains stopped. The emergency announcement system blared that the power had gone out due to the quake.
As darkness descended and still the power stayed out, people lit candles in their homes. I moved around the city to see how it coped with the situation, even as the tremors continued. Traffic lights didn’t work, so cars edged their way cautiously into big intersections until the police showed up later to direct. Islands of light betrayed where emergency power had kicked in: the hospital standing tall and staying busy, a home for the elderly that was a type of hospital itself, vending machines that apparently contain batteries to keep selling drinks through any crisis.
A few convenience stores had power, but quickly no food except the dried, instant variety, and then even that was gone. People bought magazines, which I thought odd until I saw by the looks on their faces that what they sought was a part of normal life that had seemed so banal half a day earlier. In a snap, anything that symbolized that placid pace through a typical day became valuable, so off the shelves it flew.
Darkness fell, really fell when no man-made glows pushed against it in a million domes of modernity. The stars came out. I noticed them with joy because they were much brighter in the purer darkness. They made me think of soldier stories where men noticed something beautiful in nature as they fought, like a flower on the edge of a foxhole or a red-winged bird singing on a branch shot through with holes. I observed the world through no such dire circumstance, but the post-quake landscape gave me enough of a nudge in that direction to better understand my fellow man under duress.
I climbed a hill at the edge of town to look down on the sea of darkness. It was creepy. Where usually an endless field of lights extends to Tokyo, only a few areas of light appeared. Directly below the hill, eerie pools of headlights moved slowly around, many looking for missing family members who were unable to take the trains home. There were no city lights around the cars, just the headlight pools drifting along invisible grids like ghosts shaken from their graves.
Hat tip Zero Hedge
Comments…..This is a perfect example to prepare for the unexpected.
There is no easy button to preperation. It is a continuous task of use, rotate and replenish.
But it would make a big difference is comfort/survival during a time of crisis.
So……keep on prepping.
Guess what will be the only canned good on the shelves here in the US if this happens?
“Sea slugs, in natural juices”
Ironically that is a hot seller in Japan!.
This could never happen here……..
Good article Mac.
Just proves that TEOTWAWKI does not have to be in our own back yard to hurt. Pray hard for these people.
KI is out of stock at Amazon – glad I stocked up in August (something MADE me order it) then on Saturday I ordered more in case things get really bad – and find out from my friends I sent the link for buying it to, that they waited till the next day and it was too late.
At least I will have enough for the kids around us to be protected. Evidently adults do not need it but I would suggest everyone load up on Miso soup (it’s made with a seaweed base) since it has a lot of iodine in it.
I got some powdered milk yesterday. I had been wanting to anyway. Then I read that we might not be able to have fresh dairy products for a few months because of radion – even if we get very little here. Apparently even a little gets in the milk. Does anyone have more info on this?
Also, greens (wheatgrass, kelp, broccoli, kale, etc) are highly protective and detoxifying for radiation.
Get out your juicer and get some collard greens, parsley, etc….
http://chlorophyllplus.com/Chlorophyll_Plus/Studies.html
I ordered a flat of wheatgrass yesterday.  Will start juicing it tomorrow. You can grow your own easily. I would suggest hard red wheat, and soak it for 12 hours then rinse for a day, then plant it (press it thickly onto the soil mixture) water it and in less than a week, you have juice-able wheatgrass – juice it before it gets 8 inches tall or it loses potency quickly.
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Chlorella and Spirulina are also good. Stock up now on green drink mix or tablets.
not laughing at my tin foil hat now, are ya…
I caught a glimse of this a few weeks ago in my local grocery store. we had a very bad snow and ice storm come thru and a lot of people went shopping all at once, the market was pretty well picked over.
We didnt need much and what we needed was there, one thing my wife said to me is, “Good thing we plan on these types of things”
Now im not saying our shelfs were as bare as those pictured, but it sure gave you a look into its possibilities
What was that in the 3 picture? Fried steak unicorn balls? I’ll take two please for my neighbor. Stay in your home, food, water, heat, ac, duct tape, mask, KI, tri fuel generator, pv panels?Â
I see a lot of MRE’s, rice & body bags being shipped to Japan. God help them. Prep a little more. Aircraft carriers will give them fresh water and helo’s. China can give them more than 15 people!
Ask any hurricane, blizzard, loss of water community. Just In Time is only three days with no emergency. Thanks Mac.
 I really wish the network news shows here would show those shelves a bit more and then follow with a story on prepping or evergency preperations. Many more people here need to think longer term. They don’t have to go all prepper to get better prepared for a 2-10 day “storm”. It would avoid so much suffering. My heart prayers go out to Japan.
I can’t store more than 3 1/2 years of food. I guess I’ll have to keep investing in gold & silver. I can’t eat Brent oil or fiat cotton.
Comments…..
  It will be interesting to track this crisis in Japan to see how long it lasts, and what sort of effect it has on their society as things unravel.
  Will provide invaluable information and education on what to buy, and what to expect in crises of similar duration.
  God help them.
Are you kidding, my ice box looks like that know. And so will yours if we don’t get it togehter.
“WAKE UP!â€Â - JOIN THE REVOLUTION
Read “Common Sense 3.1†at ( http://www.revolution2.osixs.org )
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We don’t have to live like this anymore. “Spread the News”
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Comments….. @Rick Moss: I don’t live like that now nor in the future. A lot of the people who survived and even if they had food, it was all swept away. Hard thing to swallow to see all of your preps washed away. Living on a mountain has its advantages that’s for sure. I don’t depend on my frig either to survive. I don’t expect the power to remain on. The scenarios are always the same in disasters – food and water are in short demand. Canned beans are better than dry beans – always think about the water scenario. You can never have enough.
Improper dosing with KI can be very harmful.
Went and looked at my supply of KI to see how much I have and how much to take if necessary. I also found this web page: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/ki.asp
I printed out the web page and rolled it around my supply of KI so the info will be there when and if needed.
It seems taking too much KI can be harmful. If people abuse it like the general populace tend to abuse antibiotics the cure could be more harmful than the threat. Educate yourselves and others. It might be nice to see SHTF run a good story on proper use and dosing of KI.
I’d rather have it and not need it instead of need it and not have it, but I sure would hate to be harmed by something meant to help.
Stay calm, prep well, and remember panic tends to kill you prematurely, so be prepared to help diminish the urge to panic.
we don’t have to live like this any more!
We can change it!
All we have to do is buy Rick’s book — e-book is $39.95!
And, if we all do this, Rick won’t have to live this way any more!
Spammers suck, even when they masquerade as patriots.
Suck it, Spammer!
Some commenting folks should really get a LIFE! Most people don’t realize that they won’t survive any nuclear fallout with or without food unless they are behind at least 1 meter (3 feet) thick concrete/steel mesh/lead core walls. Enough said. Instead, focus on educating the public on Geiger counter benefits and or tips on becoming self-sustained. Too much doom and gloom here..
Comments…..
Anonymous
March 15th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
I see a lot of MRE’s, rice & body bags being shipped to Japan.Â
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Oh shit!!!
FEMA and their call for those contracts…do you think??? oh, surely not…they triggered HAARP??? well, if you think about it for a minute!!
Comments…..
Anonymous
March 15th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
I can’t store more than 3 1/2 years of food. I guess I’ll have to keep investing in gold & silver. I can’t eat Brent oil or fiat cotton.
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Eat it????We’re wearing ours..I have boxes of jeans, socks, underwear, flannels, and shoelaces….prices are said to triple.
Those not buying for their children for year 2012 are gonna hurt–on sale people…I’m getting what I can for my great niece…due to irresponsible niece on steroids when she gets that welfare check!!
Note that the Japanese are a mostly homogeneous society with effectively… zero gun ownership. Need I remind you all that the U.S. is vastly different.
No doubt you folks can fathom how such a calamity would play out here.
Japan is serving as a real life lesson to us about how the future could very well unfold.
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Are you prepared for that?
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Comments…..
Kelp.
Anyone tried to take kelp in powdered form in a glass of liquid? Try sucking the slime off a 10 pound largemouth and you’ll get the idea how they both taste.
Anyone want to buy the noxious bag of kelp the old freshwater fisherman bought in a drunken stupor?
Just because the Japanese have reactors puking crud out, doesn’t mean the situation isn’t gravely underestimated. Most of their durable goods manufacturing and prime farmland has been wiped out. The infrastructure is in total collapse along the east coast. This is going to take years to repair. Just by looking at the pics, you can tell how most Japanese people are prepared for a KNOWN emergency threat.
How do you think the “freebie” crowd of government sheep will react as soon as it is announced that the reactor fallout has made landfall on the U.S. West Coast? We’ll see in about 7-10 days from now. Never mind that while we focus on Japan, our own government criminals are making further raids on our Liberties & Rights and robbing us blind. Good Luck, Americans. We’re gonna need it.
Hey folks, I was listening to the Michael Savage show yesterday, and he had on a very smart nuclear reactor designer/builder. He had a “let’s not panic” attitude. About the iodine tablets? He wasn’t very impressed. His answer? If you become SURE of a dangerous rise in radiation levels, eat a CAN of TUNA FISH! He maintained that tuna has an essential amount of iodine, naturally. This info has certainly put my mind more at ease.Â
I’m just finishing off 2008 frozen vacuumed meat out of one of the freezers. Chicken pieces with skin on & link sausage taste were the only things starting to degrade in taste. I assume because of fat content. Freezer is kept below 10F with 12/24 volt back up (4) 160 lb gel battery & PV with Honda tri-fuel gen ready with treated no ethanol marina fuel.  I’ll bet oreo cookie cadillac is lead foam lined with air/O2 system.
Dedicated Dad and readers:  Patriots on line that spam like Glen Beck, metals newsletters, etc.(and I get ’em too) are patriots for profit, and many online patriots  spam if you get their newsletters, some use pop up ads; So best not to subscribe online even if it’s free.  The only books that are useful is good survival books and you only need a few  mentioned on survival blog.com.  I’ve seen stores stripped of certain items before and after a hurricane, but I stay well stocked  anyway. There is a nuclear power plant not too far from me and hope nothing ever happens here.
Turkey Point or further North Laura?
A few things I have learned from people who work in the nuclear facility in WA…Hanford and who work as a pharmacist.
Iodate is safer than iodide, but kids tend to vomit it up like ipecac. Also don’t go by the “over 40 years old you don’t need it” If your thyroid is still healthy, then take it.
Also low level radiation can actually be somewhat beneficial, but not low level for extended periods. But a low level of radiation before a large does can help. Don’t take the KI or Ki03 too soon or too late, in other words pay attention and know the levels in your area at all times, especially on the west coast.
emptyhandkiller: I had sushi and shrimp dumplings with a double dose of soy the other day. Does that count? Orange oil misted over the top is heavenly!
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KI?? Now? Here? Yer medical marijuana would be more useful!! Oh….that’s right. All this is (mostly) happening in La-la Land. The same place we saw surfers and beach strollers “looking for the tsunami” shortly after the warning was issued. Which brings to mind…how would you like to have that on yer tombstone? The ONLY person to die in the Japanese earthquake and resulting tsunami in NORTH AMERICA. Some Cali picture taker swept away out to sea near Crescent City. I mean I hate to see any harm come to anyone but was this really something you would consider…..smart to do?? (I’m thinking more of the Darwin Awards here) Must be in the water supply there already.
And now with, get this, CORRUPTION AT CALPERS (the state pension system, surprise, surprise!!)Â and don’t things just look ROSEY in CALI????
Hey, anonymous! That sounds YUMMY!!!!  Yep, the prof said all sea food is great for an iodine source. Eat up!
8:54 am No, Farley nuclear in S.E. Ala and S.W. Ga on the river bordering the two states.  People that work there sometimes glow in the dark.  These type power plants are up and down the east coast…way more here than western states. JJ: I’ve stocked up on socks and undies for the both of us, tshirts, sweat shirts and extra cotton pants, shorts.  Jean wearers: get ’em now..I prefer  jogging pants (poly. material) myself for cool weather.
Just In Time (JIT) never works in an emergency. Yea, I’m a little hoarder. Food, water, hurricane supplies, metals, fuel, KI, masks, filter, MOP suit, generators, PV’s, guns/ammo. The one with the least amount of cash wins in the end.
GA Girl: some types of radiation are captured and concentrated in lipids (fats). Fallout lands on ground. cows eat grass from ground, fallout eaten by cows becomes concentrated in the lipids (fats) in the milk. Consuming this contaminated milk can cause organ damage.
I’m sorry, but stores in the US will not look like that. They will be looted, destroyed and probably set on fire. =)
I’m surprised ABC isn’t running the movie THE DAY AFTER.
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Is the US government going to let a good scare go to waste without padding the pockets of the shanksters?
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QE 2.1 … This Japanese melt-down will be the big excuse to give away $3 trillion dollars this summer to a handful of insurance, banks, airlines, foreign nations, and his good friends at GE (soon to be Government Electric after the Japanese people and govt force them into BK). “To save the economies of the world,” Obama will bark from his seaside resort in Brasil, far far away from the fallout. “We Americans must tighten our belts and do with less,” Obama says to the camera while he and his wife eats a 2,000 calorie dessert while both wearing a $47,000 African-Congo witchdoctor’s gowns.
@geeknik…there’s no “probably” about it!! We WILL see wide spread rioting and looting….no honor left here in the good ole USA!! :'(
Racially and ethnically heterogenous societies (the UK, USA etc.) are the ones that will not handle these events well. The societies can only function in a growth model and by constantly giving the masses welfare. Once those systems stop, then there is no social solidarity to carry people through the crisis. Their first instinct will be tribal.
We have seen this time and again in public order breakdowns, from the LA riots to Katrina etc.
Because of this fact, governments will do everything possible to slice and dice wealth to keep the show on the road. It is a race against events and one that they can lose with just one ‘Black Swan’ event like this one in Japan.
If the radiation leak continues (and it will because the site is ‘hot’ and this stops people from working effectively there) then consider Japan economically going offline for the next few decades. Will it be good for China? Or will China not be able to scale up its energy sources to meet the demand? Who knows…
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@Dboy
Thanks for the info. Do you know how long to stay away from milk? Will our gov’t pull the contaminate milk from the stores? In other words can I trust the milk on the shelves to be safe?
i am in nashville tn  and i just found out i can buy, no shipping charges, wheat rice beans sugar, etc, in #10 cans,  or 25 lb bags from the  Mormons,  or  LDS food distrib. centers.
Yeah I found that too, a couple of days ago…I thought they used to have large bulk bag quantities?
yes  bj,   and go to survivalblog.com for dryice packing in 55 gal barrels as i do, and get your dry ice at welding supplies.  have u checked out rocket mass cooking, biosand water filtering in 55 gal plastic barrels.  al
no clue what your talking about allen? I can’t even afford a 55 gallon barrel much less anything to put in it…LoL
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hopefully work soon, then I can pay bills and afford barrels 🙂
Hey BJ, there is a Mennonite store in Bear Lake that has a lot of cool storage items. We buy our wheat berries from them and they always have good prices. Plus, as a bonus, they make yummy pecan rolls and other tasty items!!!!
Hey Bill,
Maybe/hopefully I’ll be heading that way soon?
Wouldn’t mind stopping there and checking it out 😉
Comments…..
LISTEN UP “NWO DEBT SLAVES!—…
“â€USSA / ameriKa— NOW IT IS YOUR TURN to know , FEEL, REAP AND SUFFER WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN AROUND THE WORLD! UPON THE POOR AND DEFENSELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN of the nations you would have become your OIL slaves OR DEAD CHATTLE IN THE WIND OF NWO GLOBAL ENSLAVEMENT WAR-WW4!
SO YOU AMERIKANS AND THE JEWS OF ISRAEL , MAY STEAL THEIR LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES…
SOON A CONTINUOUS MASSIVE RADIOACTIVE CLOUD WILL DESCEND UPON YOU AMERICANS FROM CALIFORNIA TO WASHINGTON DC , FROM CANADA TO MEXICO AND YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL ALL SUFFER AS DO YOUR VICTIMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WARS!
CANCERS FOR ONE AND ALL!
THIS IS FOR THE POOR WHO SUFFER IN DEPLETED URANIUM “FALLUJAH†IRAQ, THE PALESTINIANS WHITE PHOSPHEROUS IN THE WEST BANK AND THE VIETNAMESE NAPALM /AGENT ORANGE IN THE VIETNAM WAR!!! ALL ILLEGAL WARS!!! FOUGHT WITH ILLEGAL WEAPONS!!! SHAME ON YOU AMERICA AND ISRAEL!!! NOW YOU REAP WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN!!! YOU CAN’T ESCAPE IT!!!
IT’S NOW AMERICAN’S TIME TO KNOW THE PAIN AND HORROR FIRST HAND OF WHAT SHE AND ISRAEL PERSECUTE UPON THE POOR AND THE DEFENSELESS OF THE WORLD!
SUFFER FOR YOUR GREED AMERIkA AS THE DARK CLOUD FROM JAPAN OF RADIOACTIVE CANCER DESCENDS UPON YOUR VERY HOMES IN DOWNTOWN , USA… BREATHE IT IN AMERICA! ! THAT IS THE SMELL OF AMERICA/ ISRAELI JEW, NWO GLOBAL ENSLAVEMENT AND NOW IT IS YOUR SMELL!!!
MAY YOU ALL GET CANCERS ONE AND ALL!
THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET!
HAVE A NICE DAY! ;0(
ARM UP STOCK UP PREPARE, PREDITOR OR PREY THE CHOICE IS YOURS!!!
LISTEN UP “NWO DEBT SLAVES!—…
“â€USSA / ameriKa— NOW IT IS YOUR TURN to know , FEEL, REAP AND SUFFER WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN AROUND THE WORLD! UPON THE POOR AND DEFENSELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN of the nations you would have become your OIL slaves OR DEAD CHATTLE IN THE WIND OF NWO GLOBAL ENSLAVEMENT WAR-WW4!
SO YOU AMERIKANS AND THE JEWS OF ISRAEL , MAY STEAL THEIR LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES…
SOON A CONTINUOUS MASSIVE RADIOACTIVE CLOUD WILL DESCEND UPON YOU AMERICANS FROM CALIFORNIA TO WASHINGTON DC , FROM CANADA TO MEXICO AND YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL ALL SUFFER AS DO YOUR VICTIMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WARS!
CANCERS FOR ONE AND ALL!
THIS IS FOR THE POOR WHO SUFFER IN DEPLETED URANIUM “FALLUJAH†IRAQ, THE PALESTINIANS WHITE PHOSPHEROUS IN THE WEST BANK AND THE VIETNAMESE NAPALM /AGENT ORANGE IN THE VIETNAM WAR!!! ALL ILLEGAL WARS!!! FOUGHT WITH ILLEGAL WEAPONS!!! SHAME ON YOU AMERICA AND ISRAEL!!! NOW YOU REAP WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN!!! YOU CAN’T ESCAPE IT!!!
IT’S NOW AMERICAN’S TIME TO KNOW THE PAIN AND HORROR FIRST HAND OF WHAT SHE AND ISRAEL PERSECUTE UPON THE POOR AND THE DEFENSELESS OF THE WORLD!
SUFFER FOR YOUR GREED AMERIkA AS THE DARK CLOUD FROM JAPAN OF RADIOACTIVE CANCER DESCENDS UPON YOUR VERY HOMES IN DOWNTOWN , USA… BREATHE IT IN AMERICA! ! THAT IS THE SMELL OF AMERICA/ ISRAELI JEW, NWO GLOBAL ENSLAVEMENT AND NOW IT IS YOUR SMELL!!!
MAY YOU ALL GET CANCERS ONE AND ALL!
THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET!
HAVE A NICE DAY! ;0(
ARM UP STOCK UP PREPARE, PREDITOR OR PREY THE CHOICE IS YOURS!!!
Tekroanin,
That was such a nice post and such sweet sentiments!  You must be a very vibrant, upbeat person to be around.Â
Thanks for the kind words!
I’m not worried, Obama will take care of me out of his stash!
Baaaaa, Baaaaaa, Baaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BJ – Let me know when and I’ll buy you a warm pecan roll. Yum!!!! It’s probably half way between us. South of Bear Lake a couple miles. There’s another place in Bear Lake that has the biggest blueberry pancakes I’ve ever eaten. Making myself hungry…..    : )
The grains (commodities) are on another tear today. Does anybody think they will go down in price of $’s….
@GA Girl: US milk does not come from Japan. And it’s highly doubtful that any Japanese food products will be allowed into the US for quite awhile (regardless of the actual risk).
Comments….. SSKI, or saturated solution of potassium iodide, can be used as a disinfectant, I understand. Such as to purify water. Don’t know about dosage. Externally, it is useful for toenail fungus, etc.