Genpatsu-kun (with Subtitles)
by Hanna
Update (4/27): When I showed this to a Japanese classmate earlier this evening, she said, “Did Tepco make this video?” Good question. A few quick searches on Google didn’t give me much of an answer. . .
Update (4/27): When I showed this to a Japanese classmate earlier this evening, she said, “Did Tepco make this video?” Good question. A few quick searches on Google didn’t give me much of an answer. . .
“Culture of Complicity”
Hanna, Hi, please read in the NYTimes today, Asia Section, about Power Plant Policy
in Japan. So interesting and sad. How much is “true” ??
Greetings,
CH
Dear Christiane,
Thank you for the pointer. I read the article you mentioned (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/world/asia/27collusion.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&seid=auto&smid=tw-nytimes), and sadly, I’m not so surprised by the situation they depict. “Amakudari,” or descent from the heavens, and other close relations between industry and politics are everywhere, or at least that is what I’ve been told in the last ten years as a student of Japanese studies.
This kind of old boy’s club is not limited to nuclear energy, but now since the industry has suffered from the disaster, it is in the spotlight. What problems other major Japanese industries with similarly tight relations between policy makers and inspectors will face in the future is uncertain, but at the very least such ingrown favoritism deadens Japanese entrepreneurship and creative initiatives in favor of repeating the old, worn habits of an earlier generation, although the tools and materials are now outdated. . .
Yes it is depressing. If you want more depressing views on Japan, I recommend reading Dogs and Demons, by Alex Kerr, a journalist and chairman of the company I used to work for in Kyoto. It was published in 2002.
(I just added a very short update to this post.)
Hugs,
Hanna
Alex Kerr is the man who had this project with the “Thached Roof” right?
I read about his work on Chiiori – then you were working in the environmental
world already and know what all is wrong – not only in Japan, everywhere.
Don’t know if I can take “more depressing views on Japan”.
But thanks Hanna, always good to learn something.
CH