Nuke crisis and Japan's image
(From The Japan Times April 20 issue)

原子力危機と日本のイメージ

Immediately after the March 11 quake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan, Japanese victims were praised by the foreign media for their calmness, orderliness and perseverance in the midst of unprecedented suffering. But the positive image of Japan is turning into a negative one because of the government and Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s haphazard handling of the crisis at Tepco's Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

An apparent failure at the initial stage on the part of the government and Tepco to realize the serious nature of the accidents and to act accordingly, and the fact that they cannot get the crisis under control more than a month after the accidents started are causing irritation among foreign countries, and tarnishing Japan's image.

Government leaders and officials should realize that Japan's handling of the crisis is damaging Japan's trustworthiness as a member of the international community. The nuclear accidents are putting people living around the Fukushima No. 1 power plant in a difficult situation, and damaging the agriculture, fisheries and tourism industries. The power shortage caused by the accidents is also causing problems for manufacturing industries. But government leaders and officials should also consider how other countries are viewing the nuclear crisis. Countries such as China, Taiwan and South Korea have increased radiation checks of Japanese products. Not only Japanese agricultural and fishery products, but also Japanese industrial products are facing possible import restrictions.

In this age of mutual dependence among economies, accidents like the one at Fukushima No. 1 power plant harm Japanese firms and their business partners in foreign countries. Production overseas will be negatively impacted by events in Japan.

The South Korean media strongly criticized Japan's release of highly radioactive water from the nuclear power plant into the sea without any prior notice. Japanese leaders should keep in mind that despite the strenuous efforts of workers on the scene at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, Japan's handling of the crisis is damaging its image internationally by causing apprehensions in other countries.

東日本大震災直後の被災者が見せた冷静さ、秩序、忍耐は海外メディアの称賛の的となったが、政府と東京電力による福島第一原発危機への対応が日本のイメージを傷つけた。

事故当時その深刻さへの認識と対応が甘かったこと、1ヵ月以上たっても事態を収拾できていないことが諸外国をいら立たせている。

農業、漁業、観光業が打撃を受け、近隣住民は苦難を強いられている。事故による電力不足が製造業を圧迫している。しかし政治家はこの危機を他国がどうみなすかについても配慮せねばならない。中国、台湾、韓国は日本製品の放射線検査を強化した。農作物や魚介類以外に工業製品も輸入規制の対象となる可能性がある。

韓国メディアは、日本が通報もなく高濃度の放射能汚染水を海に放出したことを激しく批判した。第一原発で作業員が必死の努力を続ける中、危機対応の甘さが日本の国際的イメージを損ねていることを指導者らは留意すべきだ。