Dramatic Tokyo Pics Reveal Post-Quake Ghost Town
- Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:01pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Before last week 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the country, Japan’s capital city was a bustling international metropolis. But as foreign governments encourage their citizens to leave and local businesses have temporarily closed up shop as residents struggle to cope with devastating losses, Tokyo has become something of an urban ghost town. Business Insider has pulled together an astonishing collection post-quake images.
Here’s a pre-quake look at one of Tokyo’s busy shopping districts:
(Image: Flickr *yasuhiro)
Here’s the same shopping area post-quake:
(Image: AP)
After the quake, the city’s underground train system is operating at a fraction of normal capacity:
(Image: Flickr Danny Choo)
Whereas normally, trains are standing room only:
(Image: McClatchy)
Energy-saving rolling blackouts often leave many neighborhoods in the dark:
(Image: AP)
Click over to Business Insider for more startling post-quake images from Tokyo.


























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leftcoastslut
Posted on March 18, 2011 at 5:11amJapan is approx the same size in square footage as Calif (36.9 million population) but it’s population is almost four times that at 127.0 million….there will always be people out and about, they live in well designed cubicles, the streets are their family rooms…
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on March 18, 2011 at 3:48amI can‘t begin to describe how angry I am with Obama’s response in helping Japan. Japan is now asking for the U.S.’s involvement in this crisis. They shouldn’t have to beg us for our help. We should be over there doing anything and everything possible to help them out. Here we are in one of the most modern countries in the world, and our so called president is pondering his NCAA Bracket. Wanna ask me again if I’m angry? I’m telling you now, if anything happens to the people over there without us lifting a finger to do EVERYTHING we can, Obama, regardless of winning or not in 2012, is a marked man. You have my word. Losing Japan as an ally over something like this, the potential to open up old wounds is there.
How long will it take Obama to respond this time? 3 days? A week? 2 weeks? More pondering while people are suffering. More B.S. floating around in the Congress. More Harry Reid worried about the Bunny Ranch. More Democrats doing everything possible to tax the wealthy into the poor house, instead of looking at what they did to put this country neck deep in the red. More Chicago Slick and his pimps and pimpettes. More of his followers thinking he’s the best that ever did it.
And I can guarantee you he’s sleeping like a rock at this very moment. At a time he should be pacing the floor worrying about what’s to come with an ally of this country, he’s busy farting under the sheets and playing footsie with his wife. Bastard. Imbecile. Incompetence reigns supreme in the worse possible home in America.
Report Post »gatekeeper96740
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 11:09pmThese pictures are nothing. I lived in Japan for 7 years and depending on the time of day the crowds thin or got dense depending on the work day schedule or the train stop. The thinned out train could be 2 pm Harajuku or Kichijoji.The night shots the same thing could be Akasaka on a Monday night with nothing going on.The other shot Shinjuku on a Friday night lots of kids out.
What I have noticed is media lies
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366578/Japan-nuclear-emergency-US-Surgeon-General-warns-prepared-radiation.html
BUT if you look in the comments section no one seems to be in a panic in L.A.
Here in Hawaii the media keeps telling people, we have been destroyed and the relatives call to see if we are OK.
There is another story who knows if it is true about Chinese people panicking and buying salt.
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fg-china-iodine-salt-20110318,0,4281601.story?track=rss
So this fake story about Tokyo is par for the course.
Try giving NHK a try or Japan Times or the Yomiuri Shimbun
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news.html
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/
Report Post »RoAdFiXeR
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 8:25pmHey look its are future even without an earth quake or nuke plant meltdown….
Report Post »Troy888
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 8:08pmIt’s the plutonium! One burning reactor has MOX (mixed oxide) fuel which contain plutonium…half life is 24k yrs…inhale a very tiny amount of plutonium and, presto, you get lung cancer…well, the Japs now this…so, Tokyo is empty….for, the winds are southerly now.
Report Post »DmrNDrt
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 10:07pmI’m here in Tokyo, and it is not due to radiation scares. It is simply due to the rolling power outages that keep the public transportation everyone depends on running so intermittantly that you can’t trust it. The government is also requesting everyone do what they canb to save power, so factories and office are staying shutdown and asking their workers to stay at home!
Report Post »I’m amazed to watch the hype on the web about the great radiation scare. People here are calmly going about their lives and trying their best to help their neighbors until we can get things back to normal.
UlyssesP
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 7:52pmWe are like ants in a nest.
Report Post »Living in a yard about to be mowed…
kindling
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 9:28pmI think it is an ant hill about to be doused with gas and lit on fire. Japan just got mowed, mulched, and now is being cooked.
Report Post »Telcoman
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:34pmI do not think these pictures did their case any good.
Report Post »Steven63
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:31pmWe should be mindful that Japan is the 3rd largest economy in the world. A world economy that is already on shakey ground. Unfortunately, I think the fallout from this disaster is only beginning.
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:34pmWait Till they call in their loans…..To US
Report Post »Bullcop34
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:29pmNo reference to same time same place that the pics were taken. Guess they just needed a filler because this is stupid, flaky journalism at best.
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:29pmEathquake? Tsunami? How bad could it have been they estimate the damage at 150 Billion dollars……The intrest on our loans is 1.4 billion…A DAY…do the math Pray for the dead, missing and the survivors and the country of Japan Nothing to worry about here The silent storm is on the way Get the cell phones charged to video the aftermath….GOD GOLD PROVISIONS AND GUNS
Report Post »Strictlybusiness
Posted on March 18, 2011 at 12:35am@parmajohn
Why would yu pray for the DEAD????? There is NO REASON to pray for the dead !!!!! Their fate is already sealed……..Pray for the living, and the entire nation of Japan ! ! !
Report Post »Libertyandfreedom2012
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:25pmRead “Religion and Capitalism: Allies not enemies” by Edmund Optiz!
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:17pmLotta cars in that there ghost town…..
Report Post »J_Ind_Boston
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:06pmDramatic?
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:32pmHold your cursor over each picture. They’re showing you pre-earthquake, post-earthquake (lights are out), the blackout to share electricity, and the fact that their trains had stopped from lack of power.
Report Post »godlovinmom
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 5:37pmhey blaze…what happened to the obama story on his response to the japan earthquake…is that huffo lady working overtime?
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 6:33pm@Showtime:
Report Post »“Hold your cursor over each picture.
_______________
Cool…Thanks!
P C BE DAMNED
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 7:04pmThese pictures are not dramatic at all. If these pictures represent damage done I would yawn. These are poor representation obviously. How about doing your job reporting or do something else as this is just lame.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 7:32pmGlenn noted on today’s show that much much less has been donated to Japan than Haiti when they had their earthquake …. he asked that people go to Red Cross website and donate .. I HAVE … please — you can give as little as $10 … HELP ..at least you know by watching the Japanese they won’t steal from each other and the money WILL go to those in need.
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