As reported in the media almost every day around the world, the nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture was damaged by the earthquake that happened on March 11. The Fukushima plant had been one of the most important power sources for the Tokyo metropolitan area , so when the accident happened, there was immediate concern that there would be electricity shortages in the area. It was still cold in March, and so a lot of electricity was needed for heating appliances.

TEPCO, or Tokyo Electric Power Company, soon decided that they would divide the region into small areas, and cut electricity to each in turn for a few hours every day to prevent a huge blackout throughout the Tokyo area. They also asked people and companies to save as much electricity as they could. People did this by wearing warmer clothes at home instead of using heating appliances, while companies let their employees leave the office earlier than usual. Many stores used less lighting and made their business hours much shorter.

Meanwhile, there was an issue about when would be the best time for the professional baseball season to open. It was originally scheduled to open on March 25, but most baseball players and officials as well as the public thought it should be postponed, not only out of respect for the earthquake victims but also to save electricity. In the end, both the Central League and the Pacific League decided to postpone their opening games until April 12, as well as cutting down on the number of night games and not going into an extended inning if they have already been going for three and a half hours.

Right now, it has become much warmer in and around Tokyo, so the power supply has become stable. However, the summer is still a worry, as it can sometimes get as hot as 38 degrees Celsius during the day. People and companies will have to make much greater efforts to save electricity than they did in March. They will have to either turn up air conditioners, or use fans instead of air conditioners. The accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant has been causing huge damage to Japan's economy and society, but it has also given everyone an opportunity to look closely at their lives and think seriously about saving energy.