We go now to Japan, where we’re joined by Louis Carlet, executive president of the Tokyo General Union.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Tell us what happened, what Japan experienced, in this, one of the largest—what’s being called the Great Quake, the Great Earthquake, one of the five largest in the last century.
[Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union Executive President] LOUIS CARLET: Yeah, Japanese media is saying that it’s actually the largest ever recorded. I’m here now in central Tokyo, and I was here today when it first hit. Just to give you an idea, I mean, our office, all the cabinets and everything was completely turned over, and the floor was covered with papers and documents. And we are very far from the epicenter, which is, as you know, up in northern Japan.
[Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union Executive President] LOUIS CARLET: Yeah, Japanese media is saying that it’s actually the largest ever recorded. I’m here now in central Tokyo, and I was here today when it first hit. Just to give you an idea, I mean, our office, all the cabinets and everything was completely turned over, and the floor was covered with papers and documents. And we are very far from the epicenter, which is, as you know, up in northern Japan.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And in terms of the tsunami, when it hit, about how far—how long after the earthquake? And what can you tell in terms of the damage that’s been reported on the news?
LOUIS CARLET: Yeah, well, there were—several tsunamis hit. One hit very soon after the first earthquake. And I should say, there have been aftershocks almost continuously since the first earthquake hit. As far as the media, right now they’re reporting at least 68 confirmed dead. And they’ve been very open about expecting a huge increase in that overnight, and tomorrow we’re expecting a really grim picture to emerge.
AMY GOODMAN: And tell us who you represent. Who does the Tokyo General Union represent?
LOUIS CARLET: We are a multi-ethnic union. We represent workers in Japan from all over the world, including the Philippines, France, United States, England, as well as Japanese workers. And we’re the largest multi-ethnic labor union in Japan.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/3/11/massive_earthquake_rocks_japan_triggering_tsunamis