Disaster Response: An IFP Fellow Reports from Japan

 

 

 

Five days after the earthquake, the early morning brings many thoughts to mind. Aftershocks, endless TV broadcasting, neighbors hoarding food, rolling blackouts, two explosions at Fukushima. In the midst of this visual chaos, I also see in the Japanese a sustained, unruffled national quality that faces danger without giving way to disorder.

 

A recent broadcast exemplified this. After the earthquake struck, alert warning systems began immediately and the news was received by all of Japan - and the world- at least 40 seconds before the quake hit the Tokyo metropolitan area. Announcers reported quickly and calmly from start to finish, camera angles switched with frequency and accuracy, all reflecting the country's swift reaction to disaster. Within five minutes, earthquake and tsunami warnings were broadcast in multiple languages throughout the nation, helping many to make a timely escape from the tsunami some 15 minutes later.

 

One hour after the earthquake began, a convenience store near my home was filled with queues of "orderly panic purchasing", and throughout subsequent aftershocks the market maintained regular service although shelves were almost bare. Within the next four days, metropolitan area supermarkets, convenience stores, and food markets underwent a wave of panic buying. My neighborhood supermarket was no exception. Unlike in other countries that have suffered major earthquakes, where violence and the looting are prevalent, Japan faced the disaster with supermarkets and convenience stores queued up as usual.

 

I received notice on the 13th that Tokyo would experience rolling blackouts. Kawasaki, where I am staying, was to be blacked out from 13:50 to 19:00 PM on the 14th. That afternoon, however, I was puzzled to discover electricity still running. My Japanese neighbors later explained what would be hard for an outsider to understand.

 

After the Government announcement, local businesses and residents all made preparations for the corresponding blackouts.  Many planned to cease operations during these times, with some companies asking their employees to take the day off.  Many residents consciously observed the blackout period and turned off all power switches.  Under such circumstances much power was saved, and so electricity was still available.  This was a Japanese approach towards problem solving.

 

Imagine if this happened back in China -- if a power failure notice was released to the public, the power would certainly stop regardless of the actual level of electricity. This co-existence of contradictions through "traditional ambiguity" and a "principle of people first" may be one of the biggest differences between Japan and other countries.

 

More than two years ago, when China's Wenchuan earthquake occurred, the whole country displayed concern. In addition to government-organized disaster relief, people across the country generously donated and rushed to volunteer for relief activities in affected areas.  In Japan we see on television that the hardest hit areas are all attended to by government organizations and most of the affected people are living in shelters.  Few televised scenes in Japan are similar to what was broadcast during the Wenchuan disaster relief, which showed images of rescue operations out of rubble and ruins, including human casualties.

 

In addition to the local government pouring huge human, material, and financial resources to this effort, Japanese and U.S. troops have been involved in relief activities day and night, and throughout the country many individuals have given disaster relief donations.  When I asked Japanese locals why I did not see volunteer civil society activities in the disaster area, they replied that it would be impossible.

 

This is the biggest difference between the Japanese disaster and the Wenchuan earthquake.  The Japanese place high hopes on government assistance, not rashly self-organized relief operations. Many Japanese feel they need to consider the legal issues of self-organized relief efforts and whether rescue activities will lead to more confusion, such as traffic gridlock and more food shortages caused by a large number of volunteers traveling to the hardest hit areas.

 

Reflecting on contemporary Japanese national character, I can see the obvious benefits of maintaining social order and calmness to fight chaos.  In fact, this resembles the Japanese social system, built around various laws, regulations, and mechanisms that connect all parts with the whole, and try to ensure the fastest, most efficient outcomes.

There is a Chinese saying that "when one is in trouble, eight will support". Although institution building in China is a long term effort, I believe that there are lessons we can learn from the Japanese community. I believe that if we are able to combine their ideology with traditional Chinese culture, any challenges from future disasters will be faced, and healed, swiftly.