[acjama]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

But the attitude with the foreigners leaving (the ones I take issue with, not students, etc) was either that the entire country was unsafe, or that even if they knew it was safe where they were everyone else was leaving so it was a great time to leave.

Now you're just supposing and applying it to everyone.

It is natural for panicked people to run away if they have a place to run. But there are many reasons why communicating via phone (still THE main communication system in Japanese companies) didn't work, and since it did happen on a friday afternoon (plus the following train stoppage the next few weekdays), there wouldn't be anybody for awhile to take the call should somebody have gotten through. Perhaps they were inside an airplane already? Perhaps they were preoccupied trying to find a place to sleep for their kids upon arrival? Perhaps they would assume that companies would understand the extraordinary situation. I don't know the reasons why they did not call in, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

So, if the position isn't going to have a crippling effect on the country, you should be able to just walk away without even giving notice because it is the "thing to do" at the moment?

No. I'm saying that if you want to punish people because of intent or because the damage caused, you are free to do so, but please do so consistently. I see no intent nor damage, and therefore cannot condemn them lightly. Not after one of them contacted me because of a blog I wrote in those lines.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Remember, I am not talking about people in areas that were actually affected.

Of course.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

For those skilled positions, in order to get a visa you have to be considered vital and difficult to be replaced by a native Japanese worker.

But on the bottom line it all boils down to how the company distributes that vitality to foreigners. I see no Japanese company relying on a single foreign individual, no matter how "skillful" and "difficult to replace with a native" that foreigner is. Those accompanying letters to the Immigration Office are (in my part) true, but extremely glorifying, I think.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Most of the people who had the money to just run to the airport abandoning everything and hop on a plane home were in high paying skilled positions.

Two worked for my then girlfriend's company. No notice whatsoever. And they were soon replaced from an ample supply. I know it feels like betrayal, but that is grassroot level point of view. This is not war, there is no reason to "stand and FIIIGHT!".

Anyway, you of all people should know that foreigners in Japan cannot be sure to receive disaster aid, unemployment benefits, compensation from disrupted income etc, no matter how much they pay taxes.
Also pressure from relatives abroad may have risen to unbearable levels (I actually had to "pull rank" and remind my family who is the physicist with radiation safety work experience before they calmed down).

Leaving is understandable and timing of leaving (relating to giving notice or not) is subject to very unknown circumstances. I can't hate people just for those reasons.