Role of media in Japan crisis
Since the disaster at Fukushima nuclear power plant, the media in many countries have been painting a doomsday scenario for Japan, as if taking it for granted that the devil unleashed by the tsunami was swallowing everything in its way and making Japan a very dangerous place to live in. Many saw in the perceived danger a similarity with Chernobyl and predicted a serious outcome for those who were still in that "all of a sudden turned into a land of sorrow." This ignited panic and started the exodus of expatriates from Japan.
Quite unfortunately, a small number of diplomatic missions in Tokyo too joined the bandwagon and were hurriedly closed. Despite repeated advice from the Japanese about not deciding anything based on rumours, they fell prey to the hyped-up propaganda of some media.
This hyper-propaganda about the danger of radiation reached its peak when people in a country as far as Poland started buying anti-radiation iodine tablets. Now that things are gradually becoming normal in Japan, many are asking what the real motive was behind the spreading of so much panic. Rupert Murdoch's "Sun" for example, went the farthest as it somehow felt responsible for saving the endangered people in Japan by shouting in a loud voice "Get out of Tokyo."
As Japan slowly but steadily reemerges from that presumed darkness, many of the predictions and conclusions of the alarmist press are turning out to be baseless or far from reality. Even in the West, a more rational approach to the disaster is now emerging, allowing people to rethink not only about the real extent of the danger, but also about Japan's ability to fight in an adverse situation in a very effective way.
BBC, for example, broadcast the views of an Oxford professor, who has questioned the scientific and factual basis of most of the doomsday-scenario reporting that appeared right after the nuclear power plant accident. One such hard fact cited in the BBC report is the real extent of damage in Chernobyl. Few are really aware that the confirmed death toll in Chernobyl was just 28 fatalities among emergency workers and 15 cases of child thyroid cancer.
There had also been many misleading accounts and figures in the press related to the danger of radiation and the level of radiation fallout considered harmful to human health. These too added to the fear of ordinary citizens. The fear factor also made everyone an expert on the effects of radiation as they too were busy in Facebook or Twitter frantically spreading the same message of uncertainty.
Too much focus on the nuclear accident is also overshadowing the real tragedy that had been brought about by the earthquake and tsunami. The latest casualty figure as of Sunday evening (Mar 20) shows the number of people killed as 10,804, with 16,644 still missing. Moreover, thousands more are forced to live in emergency shelters where there are shortages of food, water and other essentials. Many of them have nowhere to go as their homes have been washed away by the tsunami.
As life is slowly getting back to normal, the focus rightly being diverted from the nuclear accident to the plight of the survivors, and also to those whose sacrifice has once again compelled many to think that it is unlikely for Japan to sink as long as there are those who would always stand to protect others in times of misery, without thinking about their own safety. There are two cases that I would like to tell our readers about, and both involve young ladies.
The media in Japan, as well as the New York Times, reported about Motoko Mori, a 29-year-old social studies teacher and swimming team coach at Takata High School in Rikuzen-Takata town, much of which has been flattened by the tsunami. On that fateful Friday, Ms. Mori was at school when the earthquake hit. Tsunami warning was issued immediately, and after checking to make sure that all the students were safe she rushed to the shore to look for her swimming club members who were practicing at a newly built pool overlooking the sea, knowing pretty well the danger of ignoring the tsunami warning. That was the last time that anyone saw her. Neither she nor any member of the team returned.
The second young lady was 25-year-old Miki Ando, a clerk at the crisis management department of the local government office of Minami Sanriku, another coastal town flattened by powerful waves. Right after tsunami warning was issued, she started urging people to take necessary precaution without delay through the public announcement system. Her announcement reportedly saved many lives as she continued warning people well until the moment powerful waves washed away much of the building. Nobody has seen Miki Ando since then, but we know for sure that she has made her place in the hearts of millions Japanese, whom she will continue to inspire in coming days.
Japan is still struggling to cope with the aftermath of the disaster. However, as long as there are people like Motoko Mori and Miki Ando, we know the nation will never surrender to what outsiders might see as fait accompli. This is probably the lesson that many need to learn once again, including the diplomatic community that was so anxious to look for a place to hide.
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