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The family of 25-year-old Daniel Nations, an American living in Tokyo, just wants him to come back home to Austin, Texas.
But even though the U.S. government is offering to help Americans leave Japan as radiation continues to leak from a stricken nuclear plant, Nations says he is staying put.
Courtesy of Stephenne Nations
Daniel Nations seen in family photo back in Texas. In the back row from left to right: Scott Nations, Daniel Nations, Adam Nations and in the front row Stephenne Nations, Sarah Nations
“I really don’t want to leave yet," he told msnbc.com in a phone interview from a guesthouse in Tokyo. Though "it’s very worrying," he said he wants to "stay here because I feel that it will all get better within the next week or so … Once it does, I think it will be much harder to return than it will be to just stay put."
Nations arrived a few days before the quake to find work as an English teacher, and he used couchsurfing.org, a web site that connects travelers who provide free accommodation to one another, to find a place to stay with a Japanese couple. He was in a coffee shop when the quake struck.
"Honestly, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal because earthquakes happen in Japan all the time," he said. "But this one was particularly long and it got pretty strong and so everyone just ran out of the building."
With the trains not working, "it was just a constant flow of people walking and the crazy thing was nobody was getting too upset. Nobody was too frustrated,” he said.
Daniel Nations of Texas moved to Japan recently to find work. Instead, he's found himself in the middle of a huge disaster. Watch excerpts from his video journal about the experience.
Nations, who graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, in 2009 with an undergraduate degree in philosophy, said he wants to stay in Japan to perfect his language skills and gain some overseas experience. Eventually, he would like to get a degree in international business.
Courtesy of Stephenne Nations
Stephenne Nations, mother of Daniel Nations a Texan who is currently residing in Japan while he looks for a job, packs a care package to send to her son following the triple disaster that has occurred in Japan. The care package includes food, masks and radiation antidotes.
To give his parents some peace of mind, he has decided to head to Nagoya, a city to the southwest.
"They're freaking out," he said. When asked if going to Nagoya would make his parents feel better, he said, "I don’t know that it necessarily would but it’s something. But really, in my mind, it’s much safer just because it’s that much further away from Fukushima (the nuclear power plant in crisis)."
His mother, Stephenne Nations, said his decision to move out of Tokyo is a "little comforting.” She said her son has assured them "that if it gets bad he'll get off this island somehow. But we would really, really rather he load up and come home."
Daniel's relatives have been calling, texting and emailing him to encourage him to leave, she said during a phone interview with msnbc.com from Austin, Texas.
"He's pretty headstrong, pretty independent and I know he can take care of himself but it's also really scary as a parent," she said. "He was at the University of Southern Mississippi when Katrina hit, so he has already lived through a hurricane." (He began his studies in Mississippi and later transferred to UT).
His mother said she had assembled a care package for Daniel that includes potassium iodide.
"He can't get any potassium iodide so I had found some here," she said. "He asked for other things, like face masks, things that just seemed like putting a Band-Aid on an amputation, just silly."
His father, Scott Nations, said he was trying to keep things in perspective.
“At least we know our son is alive and he’s safe – and there is so many people for who that’s not true."
Back in Tokyo, Daniel Nations said he had an interview for a job since the earthquake hit and otherwise has "been hanging out, watching movies, trying to not go outside too much," because of the radiation threat.
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If anything he should leave for the sake of the Japanese people, he can always return, but every bit of what they have should go to their people. Just sounds more like its all about him, it would be diffirent if he has something to offer them, but speaking english dosent seem to high on the meter right now. I HOPE there is another reason he is staying there than what he is saying.
Considering the readiness of aid workers here in the US to dispatch to the scene (myself included) when the time is right, one thing that is very clear: the need for translators. Not many of us speak/read Japanese, so having people like Daniel there will be of utmost need. In the meanwhile, he's obviously mitigating his own risk factors by moving south. Great job Daniel!
That's an interesting view, and one that never would have occurred to me. Believe me, when I am in Japan, I consider myself a guest in other people's country - I give up my seat on the train, I do all in my power to not be 邪魔 or to cause 迷惑, to fit in smoothly and just in general to defer to Japanese people and to consider myself a guest and sort of a secondary priority within their society.
But, that said, I think that all people resident in Japan, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity, or how long ago they arrived, should be considered equal in terms of deserving to stay, deserving access to supplies and to help. What I'm trying to say is that, if it were me on the ground there in Japan, I would myself as an individual choose to give up my spot in line for a mother or child or elderly Japanese, would share my food and other supplies, would get out there and do what I can to help out, to contribute and try not to be a burden. But the idea that I, or "we foreigners" as a group, should leave, or should in toto defer to the Japanese people is not something I can agree with.
After 9/11, did you call for Japanese people to leave New York, so that resources could go to the American people?
I'm an American living in Tokyo. My wife is Japanese and we have a child. When you live here you become a part of the community. When things like this happen, there's a desire to share the experience with others. Like most Japanese here, we're staying put for now and basing our decision on science not fear. As he mentions above, most Japanese are calm about this. We're not panicking. Life goes on in Tokyo. People are going to work. People are dying of old age. Babies are being born. What we're not doing is popping iodine pills, looting, finding a country or person to blame, fighting, or crying about our problems.
Ashrakay... that sounds glorious. I may want to move to Japan now, people who can stay rational in times of fear... thats everything the U.S. is not... Bravo
Mandy I visited my son in Japan back in September and I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE! It was mainly due to the people there in Japan. They make you feel right at home. I loved it and I want to go back. I would love to go and help the people of Japan now but what would I do? I would be a hinderance instead of helping out.
It is on my list of places to visit... Ok, it is THE ONLY PLACE on my list now to go to. Japan is in itself a beautiful country and the people are sensational. My heart goes out to the people of Japan. If my son had his choice he would never leave either but when the military says go, he has to go... he is so upset about it. :(
I mentioned looting to my son this morning and he said that THERE ISN'T ANY LOOTING going on. Now if this happened in the U.S. there would be widespread looting. Give me Japan anyday.
Yea definitely I agree. (I realise my previous comment may have come off sarcastic, but it totally wasnt supposed to) I think its amazing they can continue with their lives and the ones who can help do, rather than people just whining that so and so isn't helping them. I really would love to go to Japan sometime
What else can we do?
I was wondering about mailing food to people... but if the food can't get shipped to the stores is the mail still going through?
he is so cute and very brave.. some would say not smart to stay.. but is he wants a boyfriend i would go and join him
MSNBC title: "Why one U.S. man is going to stay in Japan"
Sane person's answer: Because he is a moron!
Seriously, reading this kids quotes, it is obvious he came from a Texan gene pool.
Then again, when his hair is falling out and he can't have kids, he will remember why he stayed there.
Sounds like he's got more balls than you do...
I second that!
U.S. Citizens who stay in Japan are morons? Thanks a lot, been living here almost 20 years.
earthquake, tsunami and then radiation from Fukushima, of those three problems only one remains
Knowledgeable people know that most of Japan southwest of Yokohama had NO earthquake damage
or tsunami damage and is no more likely to be exposed to radiation in the air than people
on the west coast of the U.S.
Knowledgeable People Does it sound like a club you'd like to join?
People who stay in Japan -
Sane person's response: "As long as he's taking proper precautions, it's OK."
Hypersensitive Snowflake: "GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT"
LiberalDude-8675309 You have absolutely no idea what's you're talking about. There's a big difference between science disaster and Hollywood disaster. Do some research on types of radiation, alpha, beta, gamma and x-ray. This isn't a movie, okay? I know it's easy to want to confuse reality with fantasy, but if you're going to judge another person's decision to do something you might want to use fact, not fiction.
Seriously, reading your quotes, it is obvious you come from a douchebag gene pool.
This is not at all about his wanting to stay or go. He already cemented his huge credibility. He's 25 and an English teacher with a job. I have a 29 year old stepson who delivers pizza and still sponges off me. I admire him.
He doesn't currently have a job.. that's the point of his whole trip and continued stay in Japan.
I was thinking this guy is pretty naive and he needs to leave. He is treating this like an adventure. If the nuclear plant does melt further and the disaster hits he won't get off that island in time. Why put your family through that worry, pretty selfish if you ask me, just for an adventure.
If I were there and could help people, I would do it. He knows what he's doing. Considering the precautions he's taking, it's the family who seems pretty selfish to me. He is well away from the "danger zone" as it stands. Given the same circumstance, my family knows that I would be doing the same thing he is (actually, I'd be making my way to the northern coast to help people up there as much as I could). But that's just me. That's how I was raised. And I'm not about to change now. Selfish? Selfish is sitting on your a$$ when there are things you COULD be doing from the comfort of your own home. Like donating money to relief efforts. Much more than your constructive than arm-chair "should" mentality.
why is everyone acting like this guy is such an asset to this disaster? He's an English teacher- he teaches English! That doesn't mean he can speak Japanese and act like an interpreter. He just got there within the last couple weeks- even without the disaster he is still a burden on a foreign country. He has a free ride home, and he should take it. He's taking food out of other people's mouths.
ps I have family and friends in Japan, and I'm there a lot. I know what I'm talking about.
He is not even an English teacher, he is there to look for work...which means he is there on a tourist visa, and if he finds work, it will be illegal..he doesn't even have a degree in teaching, or other qualifications other than a white face.
I think he should come home.
In Tokyo, the mail is getting through perfectly well. Likewise, private delivery services (akin to, and including, UPS or Federal Express) are functioning as normal.
Given the economic situation in Japan (before the earthquake), it was a poor decision to go to Japan, but there is no particular reason related to the crises for him to leave, I think. It's likely that he'll end up back in Texas when things settle, as he will have trouble finding a job and, especially with so many now-homeless people coming from the North, a place to live independently.
For more than 90% of English-speaking foreigners in Japan, teaching is the job. The more people like that who leave the easier it becomes for this person to find work. As long as Japanese business depends on exports and the international language is English, English will be taught here.
True fact. That's why he's staying there, after all...there'll be more jobs in Tokyo as more and more English-speaking people panic and leave. He's just staying south, and out of the radioactive plume's way should the winds shift, until it's safe to work in Tokyo.
This guy knows how to plan for the long term.
I would think you comment should probably be amended to "for more than 90% of monolingual, Western English-speaking foreigners in Japan." Most of the English-speaking foreigners I've met in my 20+ years here are not teachers: restaurant workers and homemakers comprise the majority.
Mr. Nations is cited as wanting to improve his Japanese here, so it is likely he will have trouble finding a job, as he does not seem to have any particular qualifications for teaching. While he studied philosophy in university, it's hard to see how that might help in making him an attractive teacher, unless (perhaps) he specialized in linguistic philisophy.
You're perfectly correct in noting that English will be taught in Japan until English is no longer an important langauge for international relations, but because the majority of good English teachers in Japan are Japanese, there is no particular need for someone of Mr. Nations' lack of qualifications for English education.
he's young and stupid. that's not nessessarly bad, just inexperianced. If he survives (and better yet, thrives), he comes back a better person. As long as he sticks to his morals, stays out of trouble, does something to help others, why fault him?
i still want to go visit Japan on vacation. but i doubt that will ever happen. Unless your military, think any rank & file blue collars would ever get to go see japan in person?
pensive,
I'm blue collar union labor, and I work in and visit Japan every couple of years.
He's 25. Cherchez la femme. Here's betting he's staying because he's met a girl.
Could be the experience of a (potentially short) lifetime for him.
According to his mom he was in NO when Katrina hit...I would be interested to hear his take on how the reactions by the residents to these two disasters compared. He commented that everyone was pretty clam and organized and didn't get bent out of shape too much in Japan; I have a feeling it was much more "organized" chaos that the aftermath of Katrina.
I don't blame him for wanting to stay at all. If he is not sick yet and he plans to head to a different part of the country, he probably won't get acute radiation sickness, and the long term effects will probably not be any worse than someone that tans 5 days a week.
He's probably accustomed to being in strenuous situations, so he's taking what's happening at Fukushima with a grain of salt.
Also, the media in the West have been blowing the disaster out of proportion early on, so I am not going to give MSNBC or CNN the time of day, or even any credibility, for screaming, "NUKE MELTDOWN IMMINENT!" a week ago.
It's pretty retarded the way the mainstream media has been going, and I worry for the day everyone says, "Oh, they're just blowing it out of proportion", when they *really* aren't....and everyone gets screwed because of it. It's not much different from the "Boy who Cried Wolf"...
America has become a nation of pussies...
word
I hate to say it but he kind of reminds me of a younger version of that Old Fella who wouldn't leave the side of Mount St. Helens before it erupted, the one who got buried alive...
All I can say is, God Bless the innocent.
That guy was brave, and he DID say he knew the risks. He was willing to go when Mt. St. Helens went. He said something along those lines, actually.
Good for Daniel! Although I think he should come back home until everything is sorted out in Japan, I respect his commitment. It shows great strength of character; his parents have raised a great young man. I have no doubt he will become a great man of whom we will hear more about in future. It is a good thing to know there are young people like him who choose to live their lives to the fullest and not waste their time "trying to find themselves".
What "strength of character"? He is a silly kid, having an adventure. It all seems like a lark to him.
I don't get it - he's staying because it's easier on him than leaving and returning?! No where did he or the interviewer mention that he's staying to help refugees, help translate, help search for the missing, help clean up, help the homeless - nothing! What a stupid story. At least he's moving farther from the damage to ease his parents' minds.
Think about it. Getting a temporary resident visa, or even an educator's visa in Japan, is a long and difficult process. Just as bad as getting a legal immigration visa for America. It's why he's staying - he doesn't want to have to deal with the customs paperwork again.
I can agree with him, and besides, he's tourist money for Japan. The sooner Japan can get an income going again, the sooner they will recover.
Honestly, some of you people are looking at the short term, not the long term. And for that, I call the lot of y'all bigger dolts than I am.
Yeah, good point. What's the story here? That he's American and he's there? So what?! There are so many courageous and heartbreaking stories, and we get the story of this kid who lives far from the quake and is playing video games to pass the time?
Right now the government is only accepting volunteers that are professional search and rescue, i.e. military, medical, etc.
Speaking of knowledgeable people that dad clearly isn't...
"At least we know our son is alive and he's safe – and there is so many people for who that's not true."
How about "...there are so many people for whom that's not true"
Good thing his son is an English teacher. Maybe he can educate his dad.
?
We should care because your point is an integral part of the story? The dad didn't use the right word and that's what you get out of this? He's worried for his son, probably scared as well, and THAT'S what you get out of it? Dude, go to the doctor. You obviously have something stuck way up your behind and need it removed. Now.
Is it on the video? If not then it could just be a misprint with MSN. I mean it is just an "M" that was left off. Geez.
I hate it when people try to correct others or put down what someone had said in an interview. If ya'll don't like it, don't come up here or read anything on the internet.
I don't really think he's that brave. The medical and nuclear experts are all saying there is little chance someone in Tokyo will get more than a tiny bit of radiation. As in less than a normal person gets in a routine medical scan. And tokyo was 250 miles from the epicenter. There you will find little quake damage, and no tsunami damage.
If you've ever been to Japan, you will see there are very many young, white, male English teachers. There all over the news, too. There's a population of young ladies who love these guys. Even the nerdiest, most awkward of them can get a date in Japan. This is probably a big part of why he's staying. As far as needing him as an English translator, I think it's highly doubtful. Very many Japanese people speak English, and they would probably use translators with more technical expertise for rescue or rebuilding situations.
Here in Canada we have a name for someone like Daniel. A Man.....Let him make his own choices,
I think the world needs more young people like him... He will be of more use in Japan than at home...
Just my 2 cents worth...
But he's not being of use. That's the problem! He just doesn't want to leave because it's "easier" for him to stay. If he were helping then I would consider him brave. But he's not!
Plain an simple - dumb college student
He doesn't sound like the sharpest ginsu knife.
22, on an adventure and a bit to offer. No problems with that.
What is wrong with this site that I periodically need to re-sign-in when I've just left a story where I was signed in?
I live outside of Tokyo and I think this guy is speaking for himself or other young single people. I am personally sending my family to Kyushu, the southern most island, and may be taking one of the U.S. flights out of the country if the wind changes. I have a business and my home here and I don't feel the media are understating the dangers. Plus, this story is not actually accurate. at the moment the state department had only one flight leaving Narita last night and we had to pay back the government for the flight and it had only 600 slots for yesterday (first come first serve). The media makes it sound as if there are plenty of slots available and the government will pick up the tab for getting us out of the country which is not true at all. If the media want to talk to someone and get a better idea of something, why not communicate with a business person in the country with a family and get there feelings.
ladies and gentlemen here you have our dumbass of the day award winner! Talk about beyond stupid - geez what a moron!
Ah.. to be young! :)
Daniel Nations has absolutley zero credentials to be doing anything of value in Japan. The article says he majored in Philosophy? That's great - but how does that make him of any use post disaster?
Also, his family is portrayed as being very middle class. So how did he pay for his college studies? Student loans? With no job, who's paying those back? This guy needs to grow up and get a 9 to 5 job like the rest of us back in the states.
Wow... such judgement about someone you don't even know.
Get a 9-5 because you have one? Because your a sucker and have to work for someone else to make a living? All I can say is, sucks to be you!