Dear Prime Minister Naoto Kan,
This week Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Banri Kaieda was quoted as saying rolling blackouts should be extended to central Tokyo in the interest of fairness. Given the severe disruption the blackouts are inflicting, his proposal is less than helpful.
We've all heard stories of commuters unable to get to work or factories left idle. This kind of productivity loss is crippling the Kanto economic engine just when the rest of the country needs it most. On top of that, hospitals are scheduling surgeries around blackouts so patients aren't put at risk, because sophisticated equipment can shut down during the switch to backup power.