De Hiroshima à Fukushima: 
le Japon de la discorde

Cette semaine, les médias japonais parlent de deux choses, des commémorations des bombardements nucléaires d'Hiroshima et Nagasaki, et, de la nécessité de redémarrer des centrales nucléaires, suspendues après les événements tragiques des réacteurs de Fukushima Dai-Ichi. Le débat énergétique a démarré, le Japon a depuis organisé des manifestations de masse contre l'énergie nucléaire.

La bataille est menée pour sauver l'économie et l'industrie, près d'un an et demi après l'accident. Pour qui? Les évacués de la région contaminée de Fukushima et les régions voisines n'ont pas l'impression que le gouvernement japonais oeuvre à leur réintégration dans une vie "normale". Pourquoi les sommes allouées aux victimes du séisme et du tsunami ne sont elles pas versées aux bénéficiaires? Effet de manches et mépris pour les gens de la rue de la part de ces élites des beaux quartiers ministériels d'un Japon avare en réinsertion? Beaucoup d'évacués du Tohoku se sont suicidés ou sont morts d'épuisements. Les gens âgés surtout. Drames sans fin. Des rôles héroïques sont révélés avec ces "nettoyeurs" de Fukushima mais apparaissent aussi des scandales et de l'opacité, pire, du secret comme toujours dans le "village  nucléaire."

Les japonais s'interrogent. Comment se fait-il que certains réacteurs atomiques soient aujourd'hui re-démarrés comme les tranches d'Oi dans la région de Fukui? Des dizaines de milliers de personnes en colère ont donc envahi poliment les rues des grandes cités japonaises dans des manifestations massives et pacifiques, depuis des mois. Pas une seule arrestation. En particulier à Tokyo en Juillet, 70.000 voire 200.000 manifestants, des mouvements citoyens, des antinucléaires mais aussi des non politisés,des familles avec enfants, des employés de bureaux, des religieux, des artistes, des intellectuels tels le Prix Nobel de Littérature 1994 OE Kenzaburo le 16 Juillet au parc de Yoyogi, dans le coeur de Tokyo.

Sourds, les industriels, les sociétés de commerce et les fonctionnaires japonais, ceux que l'on nomme le "village nucléaire", déclarent à l'unisson que s'il n'y a pas redémarrage de certaines centrales nucléaires, l'économie industrielle du Japon peut s'attendre à un effondrement à la fin de Septembre de cette année... Information incorrecte, car on n'a pas ici considéré les gigantesques stocks énergétiques et les productions des centrales thermiques notamment mais information reprise en masse par les médias "conservateurs" japonais avec écho outre-mer...

Le Japon de "la discorde" 

Certains plaident en faveur de l'élimination complète de l'énergie nucléaire en tant que telle, une partie de plus en plus croissante de la population japonaise, et d'autres souhaitent la reprise de la production d'énergie nucléaire. Le débat politique devient sérieux. Enfin... pourrait on penser.

C'est dans ce contexte que survient le triste anniversaire du bombardement atomique d'Hiroshima. Le Sankei Shimbun, quotidien conservateur, a fourni des détails inédits sur ces bombardements, sans révéler ses sources: "Les États-Unis pourraient avoir vaincu le Japon en 1945 sans bombardement atomique, mais leurs intentions étaient de lancer un sérieux avertissement à l'Union Soviétique."

Dans la matinée du 6 Août 1945, le bombardier américain B-29 commandé par le colonel Paul Tibbets a lâché une bombe atomique, "Little Boy", équivalent à 13 - 18 kilotonnes de TNT sur la ville japonaise d'Hiroshima. Trois jours plus tard, le 9 Août 1945, une bombe atomique "Fat Man" a été larguée sur Nagasaki par le pilote Charles Sweeney, commandant de la bombardier B-29 "Bockscar". Le nombre total des victimes? Il varie de 90.000 à 166.000 personnes pour Hiroshima et de 60 à 80 mille personnes à Nagasaki. Le rôle des bombardements atomiques dans la capitulation du Japon et la justification éthique de l'attentat continuent de provoquer de vifs débats. (nb: Comme je l'ai constaté sur ma page Facebook) Certes, le 15 Août 1945, le Japon a annoncé sa défaite. L'acte de reddition qui a officiellement arrêté la Seconde Guerre mondiale a été signé le 2 Septembre 1945.

Selon le quotidien japonais Sankei Shimbun, l'accord qui prévoit l'utilisation de l'arme atomique contre le Japon a été signé en Septembre 1944 lors d'une réunion du président américain Franklin D. Roosevelt et de Winston Churchill, à Hyde Park, Londres.

Eté 1945: les États-Unis, soutenus par le Royaume-Uni et le Canada en vertu du "Projet Manhattan" ont achevé les travaux préparatoires pour la création des premiers essais des armes nucléaires existantes. Le 16 Juillet, le premier essai d'une arme atomique est fait et réussi dans le Nouveau-Mexique. La puissance de l'explosion est de 21 kilotonnes de TNT.

Le 24 Juillet 1945, conférence de Potsdam: le président américain Harry Truman a informé Staline que les Etats-Unis a acquis de nouvelles armes de "destructions massives". On peut lire dans les mémoires de Truman que: "Staline lui fit signe de loin, alluma sa pipe, et ne montrent pas d'intérêt particulier." Il était heureux et a exprimé l'espoir que les États-Unis seraient en mesure d'utiliser la bombe contre les Japonais. Churchill, qui surveillait Staline, pense que Staline ne comprends pas alors ce que signifiait Truman...

Provoquer un grave impact moral et psychologique sur Staline

Selon les historiens japonais dont les conclusions sont citées par le quotidien Sankei Shimbun, l'une des raisons du bombardement atomique du Japon était donc de créer, susciter et provoquer un grave impact moral et psychologique sur Staline. Le Japon aurait perdu la guerre sans le bombardement, rapporte le quotidien conservateur japonais.

Si cette version est correcte, alors les Américains ont connu un échec sans précédent car les bombardements du Japon n'ont pas eu d'incidence sur Staline qui est resté fidèle à ses principes, a occupé des îles dans le nord du Japon, au point que quelques années plus tard l'Occident est entré en "guerre froide" avec l'Union Soviétique qui a fait exploser sa première propre bombe atomique le 29 août 1949 dans le Kazakhstan. L’obtention de cette technologie est pour partie due "à un bon système d’espionnage, cela contribuera à un climat de paranoïa aux Etats-Unis qui se traduira par la "chasse aux sorcières..."

Le 13 février 1960, une bombe A, d'une puissance de 70 kilotonnes surnommée Gerboise bleue, a été testée par l'armée française dans le désert du Tanezrouf en Algérie. "Hourra pour la France ! Depuis ce matin, elle est plus forte et plus fière", s'enthousiasmait le général de Gaulle, président de la République. Les Etats du Maghreb réagissent violemment contre ces tests: deux jours plus tard, le Maroc rappellera son ambassadeur à Paris.


Dès ses premières applications, l’énergie nucléaire a donc été marquée par la dualité, le mot est la hantise mais aussi la réalité du vrai Japon: nouvelle source d’énergie abondante, elle est aussi le symbole d’un immense pouvoir de destruction. Le Japon en a fait la très cruelle expérience, 3 fois, à Hiroshima et à Nagasaki les 6 et 9 Août 1945, et à Fukushima au lendemain du tremblement de terre et du tsunami du 11 Mars 2011. (Image)

Le débat est lancé au Japon, mais ira-t-il jusqu'à la tenue d'un référendum démocratique sur la question si simple et pourtant si importante: "Etes-vous pour ou contre la réduction de la production d'électricité d'origine atomique depuis l'accident de Fukushima?"


Avec des éléments sur ce sujet diffusés dans mon reportage sur les cérémonies de Hiroshima du 6 août 2012, avec pour la première fois présent, le représentant du président de la république François Hollande, l'ambassadeur Masset, sur RTL radio
http://lnk.nu/rtl.fr/24d0

Fukushima

Will Prime Minister Noda survive Japanese hot summer?

"Japanese governance is melting down at the moment we cannot make decisions and go forward, so we need a new governance that will decide and move things forward. The old system [of Noda] depending on bureaucrats from the 60s' is too old and we need more dynamic changes in governance, we need a new  realignment and government system, a large coalition, and high speed to make decisions, we must speed up and carry on new policies!" 


Says who? A Japanese radical? No these are the views of House of Representatives lawmaker Takatane Kiuchi interviewed by Shingetsu news agency of my friend Michael Penn, keen analyst of JP politics. Kiuchi is a disappointed politician and he resigned from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan earlier this year, he recently established his own parliamentary group called the Association of Reform Independents.

I am always surprised with Japanese politics, especially in summer when the temperature gets nuts, 35 degrees C. Japanese politics is half way between Shakespeare betrayal's tragedies and the soap opera "Sex and the City". Editors and Diet-men and women are always excited with midsummer nightmares and dramas falling on Nagatacho years after years. Nagatacho it is the hill in center Tokyo where the Diet is located, above the Kasumigaseki ministries compound.

But when I read this news about atomic energy, I thought, that's it. "The Japanese Minister of Industry says it is conceivable that Japan ends completely nuclear power after 2030, without affecting the economy. We can do it" said Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yukio Edano at a press conference." Oh, really? And then this one "Currently Noda withdrew from imposing the consumption tax." This is a sequential change and I wait to see because such moves are not just simple things in Japan. A total reversal of top policy making. The Noda team gives up, and collapses around O-Bon summer holidays or September? Sure something has to be reinforced before the IMF World Bank gatherings in the Autumn.

What I mainly understand here is a configuration which would enable a political operation designed to the destabilization of the current Prime Minister Noda inspired by the dolce-vita of the conservatives and their neo-cons aficionados. Behind all of this summer agitation? No doubt the opposition, LDP and various small parties played by major power breakers, some neo-con over evaluated like the current Osaka mayor Hashimoto, or the DPJ Ozawa recently expelled by the Democrat party leadership of Mr Noda.

So what's the beef? Actually it won't change much to the way Japan is governed but it adds spices to a reconfiguration that Japan likes so much giving the archipelago the impression that things "move on". Reality is more stern. As weekly magazine writes there is an operation and internal turmoil in Parliament, from the conservatives but also and especially Shukan Shincho believes the former flamboyant Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is agitating the Diet work! I wonder.

Meanwhile the Japanese press suddenly discovers that "Surprising poll result shows signs that public is turning against nuclear power" (Mainichi August 7th) As one friend told me at a dinner recently, it is good this country has a strong bureaucracy otherwise the land would turn havoc... Looks like no-one knows where to go. So time for  the meltdown of the current Noda DPJ administration and arrival of a Koizumi style type strong led coalition, an Ishihara (the son not the father Governor of Tokyo) or an agglomeration of small parties led by LDP, it looks like DPJ boss Noda and LDP boss Tanigaki are unhappy since a few days. Something like, "your time is over, go now!"



http://lnk.nu/shingetsunewsagency.com/249t.html

http://www.shinchosha.co.jp/shukanshincho/

http://lnk.nu/lepetitjournal.com/249u.html

Japanese new era of agriculture

Meiji University Kurokawa farm campus

Agriculture tomorrow in Japan after Fukushima atomic accident and spreading of radioactive materials. What is the situation today? I'd say the major impacts are on safety and education. I attended a Foreign Press Center Japan press tour with many Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Singaporean, US, and some European journalists (Swiss, Germany, French) colleagues. I saw how to expect to feed the archipelago, (and how to feed the 7.000.000.000 Earth citizens) in a context of food security and next farming technologies.

I saw also how and why young Japanese students choose a work and life balance and become farmers in Japanese countryside but also in urban areas. Urban areas farming...? Quite awesome but it is a reality in Japan with all these valleys occupying 3/4 of the archipelago. I watched at a food store, Ceresamos, in Kawasaki, that Japanese customers can nowadays check on the board the daily report with amount of radioactivity contained in food. AT LAST!

Daily report of radioactivity in food

Naturally with 1.0 Bq/kg we are in this south Tokyo city well below the maximum limit of 100Bq/kg required by Japanese sanitary authorities. We can see the precious radioactivity monitoring document provided to Japanese consumers by Japan Agriculture Association, "JA".

Maybe an example to follow will be in adding a safety barcode on all agricultural products? Shopping here "is reassuring" this woman told me: "Fresh, safe and economical veggies!"

New agriculture and new students learning how to conceive new models more fair, more transparent, more accurate and in equal balance with the environment. But is it just business guided by the giants of agro-farming corporations or is it a new vision to answer to consumers? More fair trade and here the example was awesome, the cost of fruits and veggies (from producers to consumers) were 30% of the coast in Tokyo. Yen is strong but prices increase outrageously in Tokyo which keeps her citizens jailed in between walls and moats of consumerism with irregular quality, essence and flavor.

The Japanese administration is often seen as guilty not to address the people life issues or unable to answer to the requests (and this is the same in France and the Euroland by the way) and incapable to update when faced to a sudden problem. Remember the water problem for babies in Tokyo after the atomic reactor explosion at Fukushima? What was true what was erroneous? Who could be the appropriate communicator here? Too often the cold machine is paralyzed. I just agree more diversity should be given to cautious consumers and less privileges offered to big food corporations like Ajinomoto, Asahi Group, Snow Brand, Nishin, Morinaga, etc. And as time changes, future will say what consumers choose. I have my ideas about it.

Japan impose so heavy tariffs on trade that it is quite impossible to import food to Japan and hard to offer consumers a variety of choices and quality. On one side, Japan says it wants to increase diversity and on the other side provides such a net of protection to its agriculture intermediates thanks to invisible barriers or subsidies that it is difficult to talk about genuine competitive, fair and free economy. Or just hard to see any logical advance in such load of contradictions.

"Production is important in Japan because of government control and high prices but it is a double burden on consumers who pay high prices. And it is especially true for rice, 1.2 million farm-holds received rice granted government aid." So rice is expensive and protected, according to Professor Takemoto of Meiji University. But who gets the benefits? Little exploitations or huge agricultural industries? Time he said to opt for a "good agricultural power."

By the way why don't I see my favorite French Normandie apples or delicious African fruits on my table I asked a Japanese high ranking diplomat? Why? "Because Europe and Africa are far" he said without an hesitation. Pulling my legs. Usual refrain. Then why is wine cheaper than ever? Volumes? Do it for food then. You'll alleviate your ODA spending...

But at a time when we talk about food security and see that CPKO --stands here for Consumers Price Keeping Operations-- is still existing in Japan, and when we see that prices increase outrageously at the supermarket in spite of the benefits of a high YEN, a new element is emerging now among consumers in Japan: the Japanese are now showing their guts and become more assertive to obtain a more reactive market, accurately reflecting reality of prices and quality.

Japanese consumers use their mobile and tablets each second of their daily life and they have access to the society of information. They dare to buy on the Internet their cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini... It frightens bureaucracy! Indeed people have more adequate information especially using technologies, tools of communication and verification process as social networks and surveys show. They go organic too since Fukushima, a lot! Time for Kyushu and Shikoku or Kansai to promote their food.

IT is the answer here too. A new citizenship has emerged. Today Facebook is the third world power in population behind --China 1.3 Billion, India 1.1 Billion, Facebook 955 Millions--

They are the ones the authorities should answer. If not, consumers and voters will show them the door out. As long as we live in democracy. Japan is becoming impatient nowadays, especially young generations.

Have the "made in Japan" politicians noticed eventually?

http://lnk.nu/whatjapanthinks.com/23y3/

 Customers feeling better?

 Food store clerk point at today radioactivity report

Students engaged in new agriculture studies

Studying the new agricultural and farming technologies

Meiji University Kurokawa campus

-- at Kanagawa prefecture, Kurokawa and Kawasaki cities, thanks to Meiji University of Tokyo and to the Foreign Press center Japan --
http://lnk.nu/fpcj.jp/23y2.php

Japanese Parliament under peaceful siege

Thousands of Japanese protesters rallied to demand the government abandon nuclear power after the 3/11 atomic accident of Fukushima

For months resilient Japanese ordinary citizens and anti nuclear activists demonstrated in Tokyo without having any single arrest or violence! After the outstanding demonstration event organized July 16th by Literature Nobel Price Oe Kenzaburo in Yoyogi, Tokyo this Sunday evening was again the theater of an other "Sayonara to the Nukes" massive demonstration held in the overheated Hibiya park, downtown. From 7 PM, thousands orderly formed a human chain around the Japanese Parliament and lighted thousands of candles. Families and citizens imposed themselves peacefully against the police whose orders are to try to marshall the demonstrators, apparently without any effect. The sight of Nagatacho with the Japanese Parliament surrounded by thousands of people and candles was so impressive. NHK gave a 20 seconds coverage after the Judo Olympics from London... Huh! Media have a funny way not to report about news or about information hierarchy!

Today the whole world knows about the Sayonara to the Nukes demonstrations, thanks to the social networks. The "hydrangea" peaceful anti-nuclear demonstrations won't stop here apparently and this citizens' movement is made to last. It is just a question of time prior to impose changes and kick out negligent or... corrupted individuals? Not so easy. Already Tepco is de facto nationalized and will be allegedly seriously monitored but I hear somber plans from other Japanese atomic electricity companies, this is also what angers these demonstrators I guess. Their prime fear is risk of extreme sudden contingency at Fukushima while we know that irradiation continues to spread from Dai 1 reactors, I am also told there are other diseases than leukemia or cancer we start to hear about such cases of heart (cardiovascular) diseases. Asking scientists from Criirad and Acro is quite meaningful. Today Japanese told loudly to their rulers, hiding behind their palaces' windows, that they won't get away threatening children's life. Japanese carry on with their protests... slowly and surely, like the tectonic plates they stand on, an irreversible dramatic move! 


VDO of Kjeld about the demonstration, something the Japanese TV did not show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=9rJAdDLe_ng


An article in the US media
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jul/29/anti-nuke-protesters-surround-japanese-parliament/


(Illust. utsandiego)

Japan cohesion and system update

"The spirit behind Japanese cohesion." I share Jeff Kingston criticisms of the book of Mary Haddad writer.
http://lnk.nu/japantimes.co.jp/23lu.html


She got all her information chewed from the same "collusion" machine which turned Japan Gov and Japan Inc. into a nest of "Orwellian nature". I agree though with her "cultivating civic engagement" views. But you won't hear or even see about this nature unless blended into the arcane knowledge of the society, thanks to long initiation process. Therefore it is my impression that this Mary Haddad book is an example of what I call the tale of a fictitious reputation construction.

On the contrary I see many including younger JP talents and people who are fed up with their daily life at work (when they have one) There are politics, engineering, media, civil servants, reformists minded guys who, thanks to higher education, try to change the islands mindset.

Many try to allow this country to take a break from ice-age seniority system and offer to the society, and, to the Japanese women in particular, access to decision making level instead of maintaining (thank you Mr Noda) this pre-Jomon bureaucratic organization which delighted the amakudareees and the male chauvinists.

I see one solution: sending tons of salary-men (public and private) in their early 40's abroad for a 3 years assignment. Mission if they accept it:"Open your eyes on the real world out there and get yourself a modern world"!

Japanese say "Sayonara to the Nuke" in a massive demonstration.

"I wonder whether we have to maintain nuclear power even putting our life at risk. I don’t think we have to" says Junpei Shigematsu, 37, an office worker from Kumamoto in Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. 

Someone compared it to the anti Vietnam war demonstrations in the USA in the 60's and this Japanese man, quoted in the Wall Street Journal Japan, came to Tokyo to voice his firm stance against the atomic energy. One cannot take the newspaper for an activist anti-atomic association of irresponsible people. 


So what is going on in Japan nowadays? What is behind this Monday July 16 2012 massive gathering of roughly 170.000 demonstrators against the man who was elected to power by the lobbies of the atomic energy, the prime minister Noda? 


Tokyo looked again as the Tokyo of the 60's when students gathered to make their opinion known on world issues with a great difference. This time the people here are from all ages and all professions. Talking to the people gathering at Yoyogi park or Nagatacho is very interesting in my interaction with this society whom I see for the first time as angry and worried as it was with the 1995 Aum Shinrikyo sect sarin nerve gas urban terrorist attack in Tokyo subway.


People were looking for direction in their life listening to Literature Nobel prize Oé Kenzaburo, and others such as music composer Ryuchi Sakamoto (awards winning composer of the music of the Last Emperor), Setouchi Jakucho, Keiko Ochiai, Hirose Takashi and many others such as writer journalist Satoshi Kamata. 


Something the Asahi shimbun who sees the "usual left minded demonstrators" did not see is the diversity and the multitude of people represented here and who acted with the most peaceful and polite manners.  Even the TV evening news program, this time, felt obliged to report, some briefly eventually, about this Yoyogi "Sayonara to the Nuke" massive demonstration. The movement’s leaders have collected 7.8 million signatures for a petition demanding the end of nuclear power but last month, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda decided to restart the reactor at Ohi plant in central Japan, while all Japan’s 50 working reactors are offline as unsecured according to international monitoring. The second reactor at Ohi is set to go online later this week, though. 


What is deeply anchored today in people's mind is the lack of trust for the authorities in relation to the atomic or nuclear  industry. Also deeply rooted today is the fear of an other Fukushima atomic energy accident and irradiation for decades, with the obligation as it is the case for 150.000 people ousted from their Fukushima region homes without proper status or compensation, to leave their home, their region, and see an irresponsible cold face bureaucracy destroy their life. "It is time to understand why this is only the beginning of heartbreak for Japan, and time to keep the children of Fukushima in your hearts and minds..." as one critic put it. 


About the Fukushima atomic accident played down by vested interests: The impact is nevertheless very serious, and now there is a time when things become more and more difficult for the Japanese (under tight self censorship restrictions) and the international media, the intellectuals, the politicians, and those who have interest in conformity to facts and accuracy to understand the importance of what is happening to Japan since Fukushima atomic energy accident March 11 2011. 


Why are media reports of those who go into the no go zone of Fukushima or those who follow months of work on the NPP constantly denied by the Noda's government and by the atomic energy sector and by their puddles? Why today are the Japanese average people, having only their kids to take care of, or the electricity bills to pay, getting into anger and challenge the "institutional lies?" We have reporters who visit the Fukushima region and combat the striking propaganda of the Japanese so called "nuclear village."


I did my coverage for RTL about yesterday's demonstration. The people I watched in these weekly gatherings are ordinary people, they see this practice of fooling the society as usual practice. On the other side, being the Devil's advocate, what we can say is that the very low cost of atomic energy is very attractive both for a policy maker and for an investor. But at what time does the low cost get you into troubles? We saw it at Fukushima, people told me, when security has been denied because of what some people or politicians regard as "a cultural" or what I'll call a mindset irresponsibility. 


Here is an example of what is really happening in Japan since Fukushima through the eyes of Professor Yves Lenoir, a well known scientist who work on Chernobyl and Fukushima and the health impact. He gives here an interview in 9 segments. His opinion is that this form of energy as it is built in Japan is dangerous for the people and it will take years to move to a more diversified source of energy. An eye opener, in French language.
Part I
http://www.agoravox.tv/actualites/politique/article/yves-lenoir-on-emploie-le-terme-35742


Last but not least we have here a society -- Japan-- which still lives in the aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing of August 6 and 9 1945. Here, more than anywhere else in the world, memory is alarmed and traumatic with this word: "Atomic." And nothing will ever erase this excruciating suffering that these people have had to endure and still do as the remaining Hibakusha remind us about the sheer folly of men. 


Making political pressure to shift from war to peaceful use of the atomic power, as Japan did under the pressure of the United States helped by politicians such as Nakasone and by media tycoon of the Yomiuri, was not a bad choice, but the impact was poorly managed as we can see decades after. We see what happens when the authorities decide to forget that security not greed is owned to any individual in a democratic society. 


The July 16th 2012 message of the 170,000 of Tokyo anti-atomic power plant demonstrators is that no-one should attempt to endanger life and to kill "just for electricity" says composer Sakamoto Ryuchi. Otherwise Sakamoto adds: "It is just barbaric." An elder Japanese professor, well versed into international politics, a friend of mine for many years, told me for the first time, on July the 14th Bastille Day celebrations in Tokyo's French embassy that Japan has an "identity crisis and live in the trauma of 1945 still today, but he adds, Japan does not dare to voice its concerns, internationally." It looks like a lot of younger and stable post war generations know exactly what they want and that they proved it on July 16th "Sayonara to the Nuke" huge demonstration!


Naturally, I sent my report about this Sayonara to the Nukes historic demonstration to my network RTL in France as requested by Paris newsroom.
Short URL Link:
http://lnk.nu/rtl.fr/23fs


Original URL Link:
http://www.rtl.fr/actualites/international/article/video-100-000-japonais-manifestent-contre-la-remise-en-marche-des-centrales-nucleaires-7750808767#play

Tokyo the sin-city for politicians' tricks...

Ichiro Ozawa recently slammed the door to Noda's ruling party leader and prime minister and left the DPJ with a noisy campaign. Exploding ruling parties is an art the Shadow Shogun excels at... and faithful to his reputation the notorious Ichiro Ozawa inaugurated tonight at the Nagatacho Kensei Kinenkan his new party, the "Kokumin no Seikatsu ga Daiichi", the party of "People's Livelihoods First". They form a 50 upper and lower-house members party, all of whom left the ruling party last week in protest against the tax hike bill. 

 Ichiro Ozawa founder of the "Kokumin no Seikatsu ga Daiichi" party

Ozawa who now leads the third-largest national political party wants to open to new high ranking politicians from everywhere or celebrities such as DPJ Yukio Hatoyama, ex-prime minister and like Ozawa an opponent to the tax increase. Ozawa said that the government increase of the sales tax to 10% in 2015 is a breach of the DPJ's 2009 election promise not to raise the tax for at least four years. Ozawa said the DPJ's shelving of pension and elderly health-care reforms to gain the support of the opposition conservatives parties to pass the tax bill is also a betrayal. This is the fourth party Mr. Ozawa creates since breaking with the Liberal Democratic Party in 1993, causing him to be nicknamed "Destroyer"! He is on his course... Ozawa also will work on reducing Japan's reliance on nuclear power.

I met Yuko Mori san (picture up), a female top strategist from the House of Councillors and Yawara chan --the Judoka Olympic gold medal from Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Athens Olympics in 2004-- her real name at the Diet is Ryoko Tani (picture under), her wish is to help to create a nation everyone would desire. 

One who desires to come back to politics is ex LDP Taizō Sugimura 杉村 太蔵 , "Sugi kun" is a "Koizumi children", a young politician born in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō bred mid 2000's by former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi. He became the youngest member of the House of Representatives after the September 11, 2005 general election although he was ranked quite far. He is "genki" in good shape and eccentric enough to catch attention in the Japanese area of "talento" politicians. Sugimura kun came then to media attention "for his excitement at the prospect of the range of perks available for elected politicians", including high class restaurants, first class travel on the Shinkansen and being able to afford a BMW. 

Sugimura san (R) Joel (L) tonight at TIF Pronto

Sugimura was at that time harshly reprimanded by LDP executives for his comments, and publicly apologised at a news conference on September 27, 2005 saying they had been "immature and irresponsible. He ran in House of Councillors election in 2010 as a proportional candidate of The Sunrise Party of Japan. 


Nowadays we are happy to say that his mood for expensive French restaurant has come to a pause. He was the guest of honor of the president of the Pronto chain (Suntory group is behind) of nice stylish cafés and restaurants... Sugimura san is now learning the life of ordinary salarymen. Who says politicians don't... change? Two major changes illustrate that very truth of world politics tonight in the real heart of Tokyo the cradle, Tokyo the sin-city for politicians' tricks... Enlightening! 


But let's be serious the big news in the Tokyo evening newspapers and on TVs on Wednesday night is the tragic death of a baby panda at Tokyo Ueno zoo. This is real life.

Sugimura kun knows the price of a simple beer now, like a simple salaryman!

The Letters of Fukushima...

Fukushima parliament investigation commission president, Dr. Kurokawa was grilled recently about the different version of the 2 reports provided in Japanese and in English at the Parliament and at press events in Tokyo. The major problem is that the English version of the president message is not the translation of the original document in Japanese. It is the translation and interpretation of notes of the commission chair Kurokawa who criticized the Japanese culture and the traditional system applied by the country saying it is responsible for the Fukushima nuclear accident. 

The "Message from the Chairman" in Japanese is the original version, to be read by Japanese people whoever they are, while the English version is rather for policy makers. It is my opinion that the original Japanese version of the President message should be entirely translated into English, as it is to appear end of July or mid August 2012, so that the world readers can accurately understand the report on the Fukushima nuclear accident, as it is presented in its original form to the Japanese society and to foreigners with its causes, its origins, the why and when, and with the recommendation contained after the 6 months investigation of the Kurokawa commission. 

This will answer to the need of: "highest standard of transparency" as Dr. Kurokawa wrote. Since Donald Keene, we know that perfect translation exists. Shouldn't the tragedy of Fukushima deserve a battery of expert world-known translators and specialized companies whose commitment is accuracy and sense of the century rather than a mere contractual obligation...?

So what's next? " They " [Diet members] are going to make it very political." Kurokawa-san told me. " I bet they are going to " I answered and then we both shook hands prior to part.

Japan, China, Taiwan, never ending war on China seas territorial disputes

"Japan's prime minister said the national government is considering purchasing a set of islets, the Senkaku islands in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese, islands at the center of a territorial dispute between Tokyo and Beijing, a move that could further strain ties between Asia's two largest economies. The move by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's government to weigh nationalizing the privately owned property is the latest salvo in a long-standing diplomatic stand-off with China, which also claims sovereignty over the Japanese-administered islands... "An official at the prime minister's office confirmed the central government is in talks with Tokyo and hasn't ruled out an outright purchase of the islands [Senkaku, Diaoyu]. "There is engagement between the prime minister's office and Gov. Ishihara," said the Japanese official, who declined to be named." (End of quotes)

Has Japan the capacity to handle what it is stirring right now? The answer is no. Behind Japanese government move, helped by the conservative Governor Ishihara, is there the perception that this move could endanger peace and security in the China seas? Years after years, we witness the appearance of a more " resilient " and forceful militarized Japan. 

As seen with its interaction overseas with PKO missions since late 20th century and now (Cambodia, Golan Heights, Mozambique, East Timor) and assistance (Djibouti) by the Coast Guards, by the JSDF, Ground, Maritime, and the JP Air Force for transportation. Last year, the JSDF were very instrumental helping the 3/11 victims of the quake and the tsunami. The JSDF of Tohoku military units came to rescue Fukushima after the nuclear accident. 

Does the public perceive it? Yes and if the elder do not like it, those who did not the WW2 are reminded by moves of neo-conservatives and right wing groups. And for the younger generation, scotched to their mobile screens, we can see lots of Manga, movies, novels aiming at remobilizing the nationalist conscience. Again I noticed recently this trend with films which depicts the heroism of the Japanese forces or Coast Guards against evil forces or stane creatures coming from the seas... 

How will China answer? Hard to predict, the Dragon is busy with its own inland policies but I know that Beijing won't ever give up any claim on sovereignty. Shock therapy again. One known device of the psychological governance...

What do the hard-liners say in Japan? After World War II Japan renounced claims to a number of territories and islands including Taiwan in the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco. But under the treaty the Nansei Shoto islands came under US trusteeship and were then returned to Japan in 1971, under the Okinawa reversion deal. Japan says that China raised no objections to the San Francisco deal. And it says that it is only since the 1970s, when the issue of oil resources in the area emerged, that Chinese and Taiwanese authorities began pressing their claims.

Several incidents happened between Japanese and Chinese fishing boats. China says being the owner of the islands (apparently it is inaccurate since a Japanese owner has been identified) and therefore started fishing, at one serious incident the Japanese Coast Guard took a Chinese fishing boat into custody for trespassing and also for violent navigation. After a few days to a week, the Japanese government released the crew.

Now Tokyo wants to buy the islands and integrate those as Japanese public domain.

(Images: agencies, otaku-streamers)

Fukushima: "C'est la faute à l'homme"

Kiyoshi Kurokawa

Photograph ©JLK 2012

"...donc si on suit la logique de la commission d'enquête du parlement japonais sur l'accident nucléaire du 11 Mars 2011 de Fukushima: "Fukushima, c'est la faute à l'homme!" Oui il fallait y penser et Voltaire n'y est vraiment pour rien!" -quotes from my Facebook wall, url down this post.


Fukushima parliament investigation commission president, Dr. Kurokawa invited at the press club today, he was grilled about the different version of reports provided in Japanese and in English. Problem, the English version is not the translation of the original document in Japanese. It is the translation of notes of the commission chair Kurokawa who criticized the Japanese culture and the traditional system applied by the country saying it is responsible for the Fukushima nuclear accident.


Fukushima Parliament Investigation: Confusing Chair? A report of my fellow colleague Mure Dicky of the Financial Times had this written in today's edition of the FT on the Fukushima investigation commission by the Diet and the estrange sometimes "agent provocateur" and eccentric scientist chair Kiyoshi Kurokawa, chairman of the Diet's Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (following my post of Friday). 

Quotes of FT article titled "Fukushima crisis 'made in Japan': "... In a message prefacing the English language summary of the commission's final report, Mr Kurokawa blamed the plant's failure on "our reflexive obedience; our reluctance to question authority; our devotion to 'sticking with program'; our groupism; and our insularity". "What must be admitted – very painfully – is that this was a disaster 'Made in Japan'," he wrote. "Had other Japanese been in the shoes of those who bear responsibility for this accident, the result [might] well have been the same." In his preface to the Japanese version of the report, Mr Kurokawa offered a more measured critique of the cultural background to the crisis, blaming the mindset created by postwar effective one-party rule, seniority systems and lifetime employment rather than the nation's culture as a whole."

End of quotes.

Things you can say in English and things you cannot say in Japanese? So again a question: Why on earth a Diet investigative commission on Fukushima report has 2 versions for the same gatherings of facts, analysis and recommendations? 

"Ignoratio Elenchi in Latin". A "red herring in English". Is there an intentional attempt to mislead or confuse the Diet, the readers of the report? 

Now the thing is certainly about Kurokawa Sensei's strong personality, I do not dislike it at all. But as I know of it, it might not exactly fit the Establishment of Japanese politics, cultural, and science world. On this, here is an insightful report - interview of Kiyoshi Kurokawa, earlier August 9th 2011 in the Tokyo Weekender. "Kiyoshi Kurokawa the Maverick" always feels he is surrounded by enemies, quotes: “(When I worked) at Tokyo University, in a way I was surrounded by enemies,” Kurokawa tells me. “I’m very outspoken, and so the Japanese establishment hates me. I’ve had some negative experiences through that, so that’s why I’m always speaking to the younger generation. They are the ones that matter for our future and can change their lives.”

http://www.tokyoweekender.com/2011/08/kiyoshi-kurokawa-the-maverick/


Question: do you change the society by shooting at it as one friend of the press put it yesterday? Mister Kurokawa might very well feels very lonely in the future although he certainly did a very interesting job to shake the walls. Something an other Maverick I know a little, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, perfectly understood before to retire definitely from front politics.



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