After the big one stikes, if I'm still in one piece I'm going to head straight for the British embassy, or to the homes of some close Japanese friends. This is the best way to ensure that I remain in one piece. I'm not so worried about vigilante mobs (or the police) mowing people down as they did to Koreans and Chinese in 1923. I really don't think that could happen again- the world would know about it immediately, and of course Japan has moved on... But I think individual attacks on gaijin are possible.

I can picture the scene: my small hometown is still without water a week after the quake. A water truck arrives, the tired, emotional, exasperated locals queue up. I'm the only gaijin. Mumbling rises from the queue, dirty looks are cast my way, but nothing happens... until some young racist hot-head (possibly a yakky, or somebody who's been warped by the Gaijin Hanzai Ura File) decides he's had enough and picks on me. Others join in. I think the chances of a beating are quite high.

I pretty sure this is not paranoia on my part. With politicians like Ishihara and publications like Gaijin Hanzai Ura File on the loose, it seems plausible.