Tokyo Stock Exchnage President's Real Time Comments on Japan's 8.9 Earthquake

FT reports:

At first the shaking Tokyo Stock Exchange building felt like it would stop after a few seconds. But after minutes of wide-eyed silence, the TSE president, Atsushi Saito, said in a low voice: “This is a big one.”

In one of the meeting rooms on the 14th floor, a vase promptly fell off a side table and pictures swung violently on the wall. The shaking did not stop and after a while the interview was abandoned.

“I don’t feel well,” Mr Saito said, as the first long tremor came to an end. “It feels like sea sickness.”

Then the next tremor started.

“Yes, I think this is the worse earthquake I’ve felt,” the 71-year old president said. “We’ll be OK, this is a big and strong building."

The Tokyo Stock Exchange did indeed withstand the earthquake without any major damage. All TSE computers are functioning properly.