PRACTICAL HELP FOR OUR JAPANESE NEWS MEDIA FRIEND, HIS FAMILY, AND THEIR COLLEAGUES:

WMR's news media colleagues report massive shortages of basic foodstuffs and other essentials in Tokyo and environs. With mandatory blackouts and transportation disruptions, supply lines are experiencing fragmentation and food staples are in short supply on store shelves. Our good friend, who has just completed three years as the bureau chief in Washington, DC of Japan's Mainichi Shimbun newspaper is heading back to Tokyo with his family. If WMR readers are in a position to help, what he, his family, his colleagues and their families need right now are Ramen-type noodles, dried seaweed, AA and AAA batteries, evaporated milk (milk in and around Tokyo is reported to be at unsafe radiation levels), beef or other dried jerky packages, and powdered soup packages, which should be sent in small parcels to reduce mailing costs and potential customs difficulties. If your company is in a position to donate use of FEDEX, UPS, or DHL for sending small parcels, that would help with shipping costs. The mailing address for these parcels is: Kenichi Komatsu, Senior Writer, Mainichi Shimbun, 1-1-1, Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8051, Japan. Whatever Kenichi and his family cannot use will be generously provided to his colleagues who are struggling to support their families' needs while trying to also report on the Fukushima nuclear disaster, as well as the damage wrought by the mega-quake and tsunami. Thanks to all. WMR appreciates the messages of support for its editor but the needs of our Japanese friends far outweigh any personal politically-connected problems  being experienced in Washington at the present time.