The airline's last accident was of a small commuter jet in 2003, he said.

CNN: Experts: Why many air crashes are survivable

Even under this worst case, though, the direct health consequences of the nuclear accident would be very small compared with the thousands already killed by the earthquake and tsunami, let alone the continued suffering of the survivors.

BBC: Japan nuclear threat: The tsunami is the bigger tragedy

It comes with risks: A car accident or cancer case can leave small businesses on the hook for big medical bills.

WSJ: One Strategy for Health-Law Costs: Self Insure

Even though Dr. Garwin predicts 1, 500 eventual deaths from the nuclear accident in Japan, he says the figure is small enough that the long-term evacuation of Fukushima itself would probably cause more harm than good.

WSJ: The Panic Over Fukushima

The first small machine most of us knew was here to protect us from a specific kind of accident.

FORBES: Exponential Growth in Small Machines - Don't Fear, They're Here to Protect You

It is no accident that both Mr Labastida and Mr Fox are promising extensive help, such as credit schemes, for small and medium-sized businesses.

ECONOMIST: The beginning of the end of the longest-ruling party | The