新浪尚文

　　自从遭到地震海啸袭击以来，日本电缆需求量大增。但是电力短缺成为一个制约电缆生产的因素，另一个重要挑战是不能保证原材料供应，因为很多原料出产于福岛地区。

　　在日本东京南部古河电力公司的一家工厂中，工人们只能在用电量最低的时候开工，比如晚上或者周末。经理谷口晋次说：“电缆制造需要大量电力，因此轮流停电对我们影响很大。我们只能增加晚班的工人数量赶工。”

　　自从遭到地震海啸袭击以来，日本电缆需求量大增。但是电力短缺成为一个制约电缆生产的因素，另一个重要挑战是不能保证原材料供应，因为很多原料出产于福岛地区。谷口晋次说：“现在他们只能从日本其他地区或者海外寻找新的货源，每个人都在为有限的资源而战。”

　　古河电力公司总裁吉田正男同时也是日本电线和电缆制造协会主席，他说：“取消轮流停电是个好消息，但是日本工厂现在只能维持全盛时期75%的生产能力。”

　　日本人将忍受这种缺电生活多久？日本经济财政大臣与谢野馨表示：“我认为，电力短缺可能持续3到5年。在这段时间内，我们需要确保工厂生产力不会下降，因为制造业对日本经济增长至关重要。” 他还说，日本人必须节省家庭用电。

　　但是作为富裕国家公民，习惯了霓虹灯下的生活，对于东京电力公司的愤怒日益高涨。10日，日本掀起了大规模反核能抗议活动。但是与谢野馨表示，核能依然是日本最重要的能源之一，这场灾难不能改变这个事实，因为日本自然资源不足。

　　Japan quake: Changed world for industry, one month on

　　At a factory owned by Furukawa Electric, just south of Tokyo, workers are trying to make the most of the electricity they get。

　　That means working night shifts and on Saturdays。

　　"Cable manufacturing requires continuous electricity, so rolling blackouts affect us badly," said Shinji Taniguchi, production manager of the factory。

　　"So we increased the number of our employees who work at night when there are no power cuts."

　　Demand for electric cables has risen since the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck on 11 March。

　　They are used in everything from cars to planes to construction sites - including the reconstruction of the quake-hit area。

　　"As a manufacturer of electric cables, we can only play a minor role but we want to help bring the light back to the Tohoku area," Mr Taniguchi said。

　　However, electricity is not the only crucial ingredient that they have been struggling to get hold of。

　　"Our big concern is how to secure raw materials, because we used to get them from Fukushima," said Mr Taniguchi。

　　"We had to look for alternative suppliers in other parts of Japan or from overseas. Now everyone is fighting over limited resources。

　　"But we have a responsibility to supply electric cables so we are doing as best as we can," he added.'No more blackouts'

　　The power cuts have been extremely unpopular among businesses。

　　So the government is asking major power users, such as factories, to cut their peak consumption by a quarter。

　　Without these cuts, demand for electricity could outstrip depleted supplies by the summer。

　　The president of Furukawa Electric, Masao Yoshida, is also the chairman of the Japanese Electric Wire and Cable Makers Association。

　　He says the new plan at least gives his industry certainty。

　　"It is definitely good news that there won't be any more rolling blackouts," Mr Yoshida said。

　　But can Japan's factories maintain full productivity with 75% of electricity that they got before the quake?

　　"It will be tough," said Mr Yoshida. "But this is an unprecedented disaster so we have to share the burden."

　　"We have three months to prepare before demand for electricity skyrockets in summer. I am sure we can all work together to save enough energy," he added。

　　Over the past month, words such as cooperation and unity have been repeated by many business leaders and politicians。

　　The people's attitude towards sharing the pain of the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami has been evident。

　　But one month on, Japan's period of mourning is coming to an end。

　　As the Japanese celebrate the start of spring, the mood of self-restraint, or jishuku, is giving way to the spirit of "All Japan"。

　　People are coming together to help rebuild the Tohoku area。

　　If the price is a change in lifestyle or business practices, it seems that is a price many Japanese households and firms are willing to pay.Five-year power shortages

　　But for how long does Japan need to live with less electricity? Until the summer? For six months? Or until the end of the year?

　　"I expect electricity shortages to last for three to five years," said the country's economics minister, Kaoru Yosano。

　　Japanese people and companies may be willing to pay the price of a change in lifestyle

　　"During that time, we need to make sure that productivity of our factories doesn't drop, because the manufacturing sector is crucial to Japan's economic growth," he added。

　　Mr Yosano said the Japanese people would have to save energy at home, as he recalled what he had had to endure in the past。

　　"When I was a child, there were only two light bulbs at each household. No fridge, no air-conditioning," he said。

　　That may be slightly extreme, but the minister urges people to renew their old appliances or keep early hours。

　　"The Japanese people are wise, so if we explain clearly, I am confident they will cooperate," the minister added.'Safer country'

　　But as residents of this rich nation get used to life without so many neon signs, public anger towards nuclear power generator Tokyo Electric has been growing。

　　On Sunday, one of the biggest anti-nuclear protests took place all over Japan. In Koenji, Tokyo's residential area, several thousand people participated。

　　"This is the first protest that I have attended," said Sanae Takeshita。

　　"But I am here because I think we should get rid of nuclear energy. We should focus less on being one of the biggest economies in the world and focus on having a safer country," she added。

　　So will Japan be relying less on nuclear energy?

　　"Nuclear power remains an important source of energy," said Mr Yosano. "This disaster will not change that because Japan does not have any natural resources."

　　Japan currently gets a quarter of its electricity from nuclear power plants。

　　"Whether we plan to rely on it less, I think we should not have the debate until things settle down and people regain their calmness," Mr Yosano said。

　　He may be hoping that it will not take too long to regain people's trust in nuclear energy。

　　But footage of the ongoing battle at the Fukushima nuclear power plant is way too powerful for people to forget in the immediate future。

　　(BBC)

　　(杨柳)