Friday's tragic events in Japan on Friday have bought devastation and grief on a huge scale. Our sympathies are with the injured and the families of the victims.

Although responsible astrologers do not claim to be able to foretell the future in detail, it would seem irresponsible not to try and find out whether there is a correlation between planetary activity and events here on Earth, despite what some British scientists say to the contrary. If such a correlation were found to be reliable, maybe lives could be saved.

There are many different ways of doing so. An astrological chart cast for the moment of the quake (the earthquake struck at 5.46am on Friday March 11th) may be instructive, and is something we will add to this blog later. For now however, we will look at the 'birthcharts' of Japan itself and see whether there is any stand-out astrological activity in relation to them.

Nick Campion's excellent Book of World Horoscopes lists 3 modern charts for Japan (it also mentions one for the accession of their first emperor, Jimmu, who acceded on 11-0-2-660 (BC) in Kyoto):

• The first modern one is for the promulgation of the first modern consitiution (based on Germany's), called the Meiji Constitution, 11-02-1889, time unknown, Tokyo.
• After WW2, a post-war constitution came into being on 03-05-1947 (around noon), Tokyo.
• The 3rd and most recent chart, show below, is for the official restoration of Japanese independence and sovereignty, 28-04-1952, 10:30pm JST, Tokyo.

Uranus, having just entered Aries, is currently squaring Japan's Ascendant/Descendant axis, along with the Moon, which at 28 degrees Gemini, is close to Japan's Descendant at 00 degrees Cancer. Uranus will have been squaring  Japan's Moon for the last 12 months or so however, and is now dissociate, i.e. not in a sign directly aspecting. Uranus is related to shocks, accidents and sudden events (and possibly to Uranium).

Aries, the first sign of the zodiac (and a fire sign), gives the quality of speed, force and energy to whatever planet is travelling through it. Squaring a country's Ascendant/Descendant/Moon could bring obvious (Asc/Desc axis) shocks and surprises that affect the people and the mood of the country (Moon).

Paola Emma has written an excellent article on the disaster, which you can read at her website, Living Moon Astrology.

Graham