An indictment of media responsibility for choosing a PM blamed for grievous damage to Fukushima—citing halted operations during a site visit, refusal of U.S. aid, and delayed seawater injection—and for cultivating 20 years of “political weakness.”

In a blog post from March 27, 2011, the author blames the Japanese media, rather than specific politicians, for the political chaos following the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The author argues that the media’s relentless attacks on strong politicians like Kakuei Tanaka and Ichiro Ozawa created “political weakness,” which led to the selection of an incompetent leader, Naoto Kan. He harshly criticizes this administration for a series of fatal missteps, including rejecting U.S. aid and mishandling the initial response, and holds the media fully accountable for guiding public opinion and causing this “man-made disaster.”

The Media’s Culpability in Fukushima: Choosing a Prime Minister Who Failed the Nation

The author argues that the Japanese media is directly responsible for the appointment of a prime minister whose actions led to the Fukushima disaster. They accuse the media of consistently undermining strong politicians like Kakuei Tanaka and Ichiro Ozawa, creating a “weak politics” that the world now fears. Using a familiar rhetorical pattern, the author claims the media has ignorantly applied intellectual theories to bash political figures while failing to recognize that their own actions—supporting a government that bungled the initial response to the disaster—are what truly harmed the nation. The author emphasizes that the media, as the de facto rulers of Japan for over 20 years, must bear full responsibility for the country’s long-term deflation and the immense damage inflicted upon Fukushima.

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2011-03-27

They are always like this, aren’t they? When they were relentlessly bashing Ichiro Ozawa, they brought up Heidegger’s theory of “justice” as a final push. Heidegger probably never imagined his theory would be used to bash Ichiro Ozawa. This time, it’s the exact same three-part argument.

An article cites Jamie Dimon (55), the CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Japanese subsidiary, who rushed to Japan from the U.S. headquarters. He said that what the world re-evaluated through the market was Japanese companies and their workers who had overcome numerous challenges, such as the rapid appreciation of the yen. On the other hand, what the world is concerned about is the weakness of the political leadership.

The article mentions a discussion held on March 18 at the Brookings Institution in Washington, where Richard Bush, the director of the Center for East Asia Policy Studies, pointed out that the disaster occurred while Japan was grappling with numerous difficulties, including an aging and declining population and expanding government debt. He appealed that “the danger for Japan lies in the fact that its politicians will soon return to ‘business as usual’.”

The author claims that the media used these two Americans, and then Shigeo Tsuru’s words: “The stubborn attitude of the rulers who close their eyes to unwanted reality and twist the facts in the direction they desire has brought immeasurable calamity to the people.” The author notes that the media’s intellect is so limited that they don’t realize these words apply to them.

The author asserts that the media cannot claim ignorance of the fact that they have been the de facto rulers of Japan for over 20 years. This text is about the media. They are responsible for a situation that has reached this point, and for the foolishness of the initial response—a moment they probably thought was their chance for a miraculous comeback. The author cites three fatal mistakes:

1. For six hours, TEPCO could do nothing while the Prime Minister conducted his inspection.
2. In the early morning of the 12th, they summarily rejected a hotline offer of support from the United States.
3. They spent more than half a day before deciding to inject seawater into Unit 1, which exploded at 7:55 PM on the 12th.

It was no one other than the media who selected a prime minister who committed these fatal consecutive errors, a man who not only terrified the public who had endured the calamity of the greatest earthquake and tsunami in history but also inflicted unbelievable damage upon “the beautiful country” of Fukushima.

The author challenges the media’s concern about “the weakness of the political leadership.” They argue that the media is the one who has worked tirelessly to bury strong politicians like Kakuei Tanaka and Ichiro Ozawa. They should know that Kakuei Tanaka saved Japan by signing the Japan-China Peace Treaty. By zealously following the anti-democratic tyranny of power and burying strong politicians, the media is the one that has created this “political weakness.”

The author says that the 95% of the population who are content with an annual income of 5 million yen and work their entire lives don’t have to think about such things, as they are living a “family of four’s happiness” in exchange for peace and quiet.

The author claims that the current situation at the Fukushima nuclear plant and the 20-year deflation are the result of a “childish cabinet”—a government composed of people who cannot accept those with different opinions. As a good example of the opposite, the author suggests reading the book review of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Lincoln” by Tokyo University professor of American politics Fumiaki Kubo in today’s Asahi newspaper’s book section. The author also notes that Ichiro Ozawa, whom the media continued to attack, is, of course, an adult politician.

The author asks the media, who are high-paid elites with annual incomes of over 10 million yen and whose futures are secure—who make up just 1% of the population—if they realize that the past 20-plus years are the result of their own political actions. The author concludes by saying that all the responsibility rests with them.