“I was in Tokyo when the earthquake hit, and everything stopped. Trains stopped, buses were in chaos and cars were jammed. Within that, you could just see bicycles swimming through. Some of our stores stayed open until 4 a.m. to meet the surge in demand.”-Susumu Shimoda, Asahi Co. President
Bicycle sales in Tokyo tripled thanks to the March 11 disasters. People needed a way to get home after all normal modes of transport got shut down.
For the retailer Asahi, sales surged 200%. It’s not just the disasters that are pedaling bike sales upward: “In addition to the disorder in the public transportation system, rising gasoline prices are also boosting the demand for bicycles.”-Akinori Sato, Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Company
Bike parts maker Shimano also reported increase in sales, as well as Taiwan bike maker Giant Manufacturing Company.
It might be due to the bad world economy, or the fact that the rest of the World thought Japan was the best prepared for disasters, but donations are still lagging behind the Haiti quake, and Hurricane Katrina.
According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s count, U.S.$161 million has been raised, in the past three weeks. Compare that to the first two weeks after last year’s Haiti quake; $528 million, and Hurricane Katrina; $1 billion.
The Los Angeles Times is also reporting that the Japanese Red Cross is dragging its feet on getting help to people. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano blasted the Japanese Red Cross for not handing out any of the $1 billion they claim to have raised. Edano ordered the Japanese Red Cross to get busy on handing out help this past Sunday.
Is it me, or does it seem that every organization is just one big failure after another, when it comes to dealing with the Japanese disasters?
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