I am sure we all have heard news of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, as well as the resulting Fukushima Number One Nuclear Plant incident. I really like the way NHK reported the situation as things developed. NHK's reports were factual and sought to capture the general situation in the disaster area.
Some (if not most) foreign media, however, seemed to drift towards "awe and shock", showing scenes of disaster and wreakage, and predicting "doomsday scenarios" out of the nuclear incident. By capturing the most shocking images of the disaster area and giving the worst-case scenarios for the nuclear incidents, these foreign media drive the international community towards thinking that things are worse than what is actually the case. I just hope that business with Japan and tourism to Japan do not suffer unnecessarily as a result of such over-reaction.
The Japanese government know the power of the Internet and modern media. I don't think they will ever distort the truth or try to hide it, since with the Internet so pervasive nowadays, information is so readily available that any distortion of the truth or hiding of it will surely come to light soon enough. I think we can trust the Japanese authorities to report whatever information they have as it comes to them and they can make sense of it. Jumping to our own conclusions based on scanty information may be over-reacting as well.
So stay calm, look at things objectively, don't base your thinking on scanty information. If you are planning a trip to Japan, especially to the western areas (like Osaka and Kyoto), I don't see why you should worry. Even life in Tokyo has more or less recovered, save for the planned power outages that you have to live with for the time being.
Some (if not most) foreign media, however, seemed to drift towards "awe and shock", showing scenes of disaster and wreakage, and predicting "doomsday scenarios" out of the nuclear incident. By capturing the most shocking images of the disaster area and giving the worst-case scenarios for the nuclear incidents, these foreign media drive the international community towards thinking that things are worse than what is actually the case. I just hope that business with Japan and tourism to Japan do not suffer unnecessarily as a result of such over-reaction.
The Japanese government know the power of the Internet and modern media. I don't think they will ever distort the truth or try to hide it, since with the Internet so pervasive nowadays, information is so readily available that any distortion of the truth or hiding of it will surely come to light soon enough. I think we can trust the Japanese authorities to report whatever information they have as it comes to them and they can make sense of it. Jumping to our own conclusions based on scanty information may be over-reacting as well.
So stay calm, look at things objectively, don't base your thinking on scanty information. If you are planning a trip to Japan, especially to the western areas (like Osaka and Kyoto), I don't see why you should worry. Even life in Tokyo has more or less recovered, save for the planned power outages that you have to live with for the time being.
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