A remarkable people who will re-build.

I was reared to with two views of Japanese people.

One was told to me.

The other came from my own experiences.

Each were valid.

There were enough middle aged men around my Scottish mining village who had direct experience of the cruelty of men socialised into Bushido.

The British soliders had surrendered therefore to the army of the Empire of Japan they had also surrendered their honour as men.

They were treated accordingly. Their ill-treatment at the hands of their Japanese captors has become legend.

As a teenager in Glasgow I developed a love affair with judo and Aikido which introduced me to the beautiful discipline that is at the heart of Nippon.

Everything I learned about determination, stoicism and self-improvement I owe to mastering the hari goshi and koto gaishi.

That huge earthquake and  the Tsunami (the word for such an ocean borne cataclysm is from the Japanese language, that’s a clue) would crush most societies.

Don’t bet on the people of Japan buckling under the strain.

The sea protected the Japanese from having to deal with the Devil’s Horsemen. The Kamikaze swept away the Mongol fleet. The sea protected. On Friday it brought catastrophe.

Large ships dropped like toys from a disinterested toddler’s hands several kilometres inland.

In a few terrible hours thousands died.

The entire coastline was moved several metres.

Literally the earth moved.

After the flood comes the fire. Dependent on nuclear power now the Japanese nation has to struggle with the possibility of multiple reactors melting down.

The earthquake (one thousand times more powerful that the New Zealand one) was a disaster to test the most cohesive society.

Then the Tsunami wiped out entire towns.

Now the nuclear emergency.

What kind of society could pick itself up from such a devilish trident piercing at their wellbeing?

I can still see the expression on the face of my sensei thirty five years ago.

He was simultaneously tough, unforgiving, wise and understanding.

He had much to teach me as he easily evaded my attacks and turned my intention back on myself.

Each time I slammed into the mat I learned just a little more.

Ten years ago  while I was running a mountain guiding company in Donegal we were contacted by the Tourist Board.

They wanted to know if we could provide a tailor made package for a small VIP group.

It was the Japanese Ambassador and her chef.

They were delighted to be welcomed in Japanese by their local guide.

It was, truly, my honour.

He was in his thirties and carrying more cameras than was sensible for a hike up Errigal.

Madam Ambassador was one of the first women economists to qualify in Post war Japan.

While down at the waterfall at Lough Altan I spoke out loud my thoughts, ransacking my teenage memories of this intact culture.

“Zansheen!”

My clients beamed approval and applauded my understanding.

The concept of “Zansheen” is key to understanding their combat systems. It is about the quality of water. Undisturbed it is tranquillity itself. Roused it is unstoppable.

Only an island people could have this spiritual understanding of the power of water.

Now they are utilizing sea water to hold back the inhuman heat of unshackled nuclear fission.

Such challenges would best most nations of the planet, but not the Japanese.

There hasn’t been a single incident of looting.

They are better than that.

They are an exceptional people.

They will rebuild.

Banzai!