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Sophistication is a relative term. Graver become challenges of technology as we claim advancement. The case in point is the Richter scale 9 magnitude earthquake along the coast of Japan triggering a chain of disasters. Notwithstanding, the Japanese excellence in technological sophistication, the disaster response and recovery systems have fallen far short of the promised.

Japan’s preparedness for high magnitude earthquake did prove near-perfect from human and engineering perspectives but the nuclear reactors failed to withstand the seismic activity.

Emissions from spent fuel rods have sent abnormally high levels of radiation into the atmosphere with fears of contaminated water seeping into the ocean. If occasionally exposed for medical examination, human beings can withstand minor quantity of radiation during CT scans. Abnormal level of radiation has sent three technicians at the reactor hospitalized with burns.

Since Chernobyl reactor disaster, the ongoing catastrophe is the worst involving nuclear technology. While the Japanese economy is paying a hefty per-minute cost of the disaster, the nations across six continents on the planet hate to imagine a repeat of such an earthquake beneath their nuclear reactors.

The countries like Israel, India and Pakistan stockpile fissile material for needs of security and prestige while dozens others only seek its peaceful use of generating electricity. None of the three de factor nuclear states are least prepared to deal with a Japan-like disaster of much smaller magnitude. Ironically, lessons for nuclear-free world resonate from developed nations like Russia and Japan instead from the nuclear underdogs.

The prestige and prosperity of our world lies in a shared approach towards good standard of living for all and a shared approach to our environment. The four dying nuclear reactors in Japan are speaking out loud the message of co-existence that the establishments of rival super powers comfortably buried under their high-pitched scare-mongering of Cold War.

The triple disaster in Japan is an ironic and stern wakeup call to humanity of an Armageddon that is not inevitable. Each life on the planet is as much a collective asset as is our mother earth. Let’s cherish our existence and celebrate the diversity!

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