Fukushima Fifty and the Moral Courage of Japanese Citizens

As Japan continues to come to grips with the devastating toll exacted by the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear meltdown that seems unavoidable, Japan's culture that emphasizes taking care of the other, contributes to the remarkable resilience of the Japanese in this horrific disaster,  providing them with the moral courage that makes heros out of ordinary citizens.

The Fukushima Fifty and all of the other courageous souls willingly put the needs of others above their own needs. Greed is almost non-existent in Japan. There is no price gauging or looting, as it would not be tolerated in such an other-centered culture.

If Japan shows us anything, it's the transience of worldy goods.  Maybe, it's time we take a page from their book,  try to put aside the  "greed is good" philosophy that has so permeated our culture over the last 30-years.

These first images of inside the stricken Fukushima Dai-Ichi power plant reveal the terrifying conditions under which the brave men work to save their nation from full nuclear meltdown.

The Fukushima Fifty - an anonymous band of lower and mid-level managers - have battled around the clock to cool overheating reactors and spent fuel rods since the disaster on March 11.

Outside the men connect transmission lines to restore electric power supply to Unit 3 and Unit 4

Workers in protective suits work on a transmission tower to restore electricity to Units 5 and 6