erste japanische Delegation in Europa: 1862

Tokio (JAPANMARKT/fr) – Japan gibt vielen westlichen Beobachtern immer wieder Rätsel auf. Die Nation verhält sich oft nicht so wie erwartet, weil Japan vom westlichen Denken nicht so stark beeinflusst wurde (und wird) wie andere Kulturen.

Wo Japan sich unterscheidet

Die Japaner haben große Probleme, den Rest der Welt zu verstehen, schreibt der US-Amerikaner Robert Dujarric von der Temple-Universität in einem Artikel für “The Diplomat”. Dafür zählt der renommierte Japan-Experte einige Gründe auf, die wir hier als seine Meinungsäußerung zusammengefasst wiedergeben.

1. Japan ist weniger offen für das westliche Denken als China und der Nahe Osten. Die Eliten in vielen Ländern, darunter vielen ehemaligen Kolonien von westlichen Ländern, sind zumindest teilweise verwestlicht. Aber Japan wurde nie kolonisiert, nicht einmal halb kolonisiert wie Hongkong und Macau.

2. Japan ist außerhalb von Japan sprachlich nur schwach vertreten. Sein eigenes kleines Reich in Asien dauerte nur kurz. Englisch, Spanisch, Portugiesisch und Arabisch hat mehr Muttersprachler außerhalb der Ursprungsländer als es japanische Muttersprachler außerhalb von Japan gibt. Japanisch wird nur in Japan gesprochen.

3. Japanische Religion – ob Shinto oder Buddhismus – wurde nie aus Japan exportiert, wie es bei Christentum und Islam der Fall war. Nur eine kleine Minderheit in Japan schloss sich diesen Glaubensrichtungen an. Japan ist daher mit dem interkontinentalen Netzwerk dieser Religionen nicht verbunden.

4. Japan hat sich sich zwar in der Meiji-Zeit extrem modernisiert, aber seine Inselhaltung aufrecht erhalten. Die westlichen Lehrer wurde nach einigen Jahren nach Hause geschickt. Eine akademische Ausbildung an westlichen Universitäten ist unter Chinesen und Südkoreanern heute weit verbreiteter als unter Japanern.

5. In der internationalen Diplomate hat Japan nur die USA als Verbündeten, aber für die USA war Japan nie ein wichtiger Partner. Japans Militär hat nie an der Seite der USA gekämpft – anders als die US-amerikanischen NATO-Verbündeten, Australien und Kanada.

6. Die politischen Beziehungen von Japan zum übrigen Asien sind unterentwickelt. Die multilateralen Beziehungen zur EU, NATO, NAFTA, ASEAN und anderen regionalen Organisationen sind schwach ausgebildet. Es gibt nur wenige Japaner in internationalen Organisationen an herausgehobener Stelle.

7. Dank einer Wirtschaftsleistung, die ein Fünftel größer als die von Deutschland, und mit doppelt so viel Einwohnern wie Italien kann Japan innerhalb des eigenen Ökosystems existieren. Außer für den Außenhandel benötigt es keine internationalen Kontakte. Die Japaner brauchen kein Englisch, weil vieles übersetzt wird und nur wenige direkt mit Ausländern zu tun haben.

8. Die meisten Japaner besuchen eine japanische Universität und werden danach von einer japanischen Firma beschäftigt. Sie arbeiten zusammen mit anderen Japanern, die in den letzten drei, vier Generationen alle hundertprozentige Japaner waren. Die geringe Einwanderung verstärkt diese Isolation und dieses Inseldenken.

Japaner sind überall im Ausland

Dujarric schreibt: “Japaner leben in einer Welt, in der sie zu Ausländern werden, sobald sie ihr Land verlassen. Das ist für viele andere Nationalitäten nicht der Fall: Ein Neuseeländler kann nach London fliegen und sich dort gleich “zuhause” fühlen. Jeder EU-Bürger kann in jedem anderen Land arbeiten. Ein Schwede, der nach Kalifornien geht, befindet sich immer noch in einer von westlichen Werten bestimmten Gesellschaft. Inder und Chinesen können in vielen Ländern Mitbürger finden, die sich im Ausland angesiedelt und dort beruflichen Erfolg haben. Japaner jedoch sind überall im Ausland.”

Die Schlussfolgerung des Experten: Diese Situation sei in der Geschichte, der wirtschaftlichen, akademischen und sozialen Struktur eingebettet. Man dürfe daher nur einen langsamen Wandel erwarten. Um so überraschender seien die herausragenden kosmopolitischen Japaner, die es eben auch gebe.

http://www.japanmarkt.de/2015/11/12/wirtschaft/japan-als-eigenes-oekosystem/

毎日新聞　2015年11月09日　11時09分

http://mainichi.jp/feature/20110311/news/20151109k0000e040116000c.html

東日本大震災で甚大な被害を受けた岩手県陸前高田市の高田松原跡で、県が進める海岸復旧工事が順調だ。高さ３メートルの防潮堤第１線堤は完成し、第２線堤も高さ約１０メートルになり、残り約２メートルとなっている。砂浜再生の試験施工も近く始める予定で、ハード面に限れば復興の兆しは見えてきた。

重機で固めた第２線堤に立った。約１０メートルの高さから見ると、目の前の「奇跡の一本松」に集う観光客は点のよう。堤の両側面では、重さ約２トンのコンクリート片を並べて盛り土を覆い固める作業が続いている。

かつては約７万本の松が生い茂り、海水浴シーズンには約１７万人が訪れた高田松原。この国の名勝を、大船渡土木センターなど県は向こう５０年で再生する事業に挑んでいる。

震災前、高さ５．５メートルの防潮堤があったが、津波で壊滅。復旧工事は海側に第１線堤、約１００メートル内陸側に第２線堤（幅約２キロ）を設け、二重の堤防で津波から守る計画だ。第２線堤は１２．５メートルにまで上げるため、長さ２０メートルのクイを２万６０００本打ち込んで地盤を強固にし、土を盛る。

砂浜再生は、自然復活が困難なため、他県から砂を購入して人工的によみがえらせる。この冬、第１線堤の外側幅３０メートルの区間に敷き詰め、風と波による浸食の度合いを確認するという。

また、両線堤の間には来年度中、ＮＰＯ法人「高田松原を守る会」が育成する松の苗木を移植し、一帯には「復興祈念」公園も整備される計画だ。担当者は「一刻も早く県と市民の期待に応えたい」と話す。

県は１０月末、松原の復旧工事現場を初めて一般市民に公開した。参加者らは、防潮堤を覆うブロック片に「君の愛した街が今、よみがえるよ！」などと思い思いの寄せ書きをしていた。【根本太一】

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vpmI7Vd6Us

Hello everyone.

My name is Masahiro Kawatei. Today, I hope we could share the feeling of “being grateful to be raised up in Japan”, and also share the idea of us taking on the important role, as someone who grew up in this country.  So I would like to start off with introducing myself. This is me, 50 years ago. Anyone, even a middle-aged man like me, has his childhood days of course. It’s somewhat embarrassing to show this photo in front of you, but I will start off with this.  This is a photo of my parents, 50 years ago. My father passed away this summer. His death made me realize how much I owe what I am today to him. In that sense, this year was my turning point. Now, why am I here, talking in front of you? I will explain why, one by one. There are two experiences I want to share with you. The first is my experience as a photographer. I was on a journey of self-discovery, taking photos of my hometown, Ashiya city. I was walking around, recalling my childhood days when encountering little boys on the street. However, on January 17th, 1995. In seconds, my hometown became a town of debris. I was underneath the fallen wardrobe. What exactly is “photograph”? What am I taking for? The true meaning of “recording” ? No idea. With no clear answer, I was walking around this city. Then, someone hit me from behind. “What’re you doin’ here? That’s my house you’re talking photos of!” “Wait, I am also the victim of this earthquake. I must record this somehow!” …obviously, we’re not getting anywhere. I was completely helpless, at a loss for what to do. After that, at a sunset road, seeing water and clean sand bursting out of the water pipe, I was trying to take a photo, conveying my emotion then. Something similar happened. I heard someone’s voice from behind. Perhaps he was there because he was temporarily dispatched; he was walking with his household goods in his hands. I looked around, and saw a man: at a glance, he doesn’t seem to be a nice, kind of person. I might be rude to say that. He said: “What you’re doing is significant, and meaningful. Please continue, and stick with it.” I was already in tears when I stood up, saying “Thank you!” Then, it came to me. Photographs are meaningful, as long as someone even a single person could find value in them. Yet, I was still heart-broken. Later, I came across a pine grove in the park where I often played in. This photo was taken there. It’s a root of a pine tree. I stared at it. Pure nature. I understood what it is to be healed, and empowered by nature. Then I came up with something. It’s sakura, cherry blossom. “Right, we see quite a lot of sakura trees in Ashiya…” In the year when the earthquake occurred, I was too obsessed with doing other things that I did not have time to see Sakura. I decided to take photos of the sakura a year later. Japanese people like sakura. Sakura might be one’s turning point, or someone might be resting in peace under a sakura tree. I can feel the “joucho” (emotional feel of the atmosphere) inside, and its underlying narrative. I thought “Perhaps I can find an answer to my question”, and took photos of it. Sakura, blooming on a town of debris. Sakura, blooming on a plain field. I think I received countless stories and messages from them. At first, photographs were means of recording. But from them, I received a story, a narrative. This experience led me to publish a photo collection titled “Sakura, Blooms One Year After”. That was my first experience. The second is, my experience at the international conference held in Nagoya, Japan. Well, honestly speaking, I cannot speak English at all. Therefore, I made up my mind to go to an English conversation school for two months, translated my proposal paper with my English teacher, and earned the opportunity to make a speech there. As a result, I succeeded in being involved in the final resolution. However, I somehow felt out of place, as if I am in the opponent’s home ground. But it’s Nagoya. In the conference, indigenous people and tribes from all over the world were also participating. They were claiming that “It is our wisdom, that can protect the earth’s resources”. This is it. Why don’t Japanese people speak out such opinion on this occasion? This feeling of “doing one’s best on making a speech, but failing to grab people’s attention”. Japanese people should know that themselves, of course. But this international conference was facilitated in a western-style. This awkwardness, might be the reason why I felt out of place. I believe, that every human is a citizen of this planet earth. We are equal. We just happened to be born in a place, which just happened to be under a certain country’s administration. That’s why we have a certain nationality, and speak in that country’s language. But the fact that we are using the earth’s resources is the same. The wisdom ought to be nurtured in each region. It’s only that, the language they speak is different. We are devoting ourselves too much, to overcome that language barrier, and to understand and share language with different cultural backgrounds.  It hit me that, we might be too obsessed with such language conversion. That was my second experience. My two experiences might be too unique, but I believe these became the foundation of what I am today. By chance, we live in this island country. It is an archipelago of small islands, with rich mother nature. From ice floes to coral reef; something truly distinctive to Japan.  And in such an environment, we are raised by mother nature. Of course there might be people who were not born in this country, but were allured with it, and came to live here. Perhaps they might know more about Japan than others who were actually born in this country. In this way, Japan is a fascinating country. “Densho” (narrative of traditional wisdom), wisdom, language, dialect and many others which were fostered in Japan, should be the coolest, and something extremely fascinating on earth. However, due to the influx of various words from other countries in international conferences and in business fields, we are concentrating too much on translating them, and trying to understand the concept; given that it’s something completely new. Hard-working, and very diligent people. But I have come to think now, “why not treasure the Japanese language a little more?” Perhaps that same wisdom or concept might be expressed in a better and rich way through Japanese language. I want to stop and think that, there are many other expressions that are unique to Japan. I read this book, “Last Speakers”. This book tells us that, the languages spoken by indigenous people around the globe are disappearing, as the elderly speaker of the language dies. Not only language, but also its wisdom -wisdom to utilize the earth’s resources also vanish. The book showed the author’s effort to preserve them. Having over hundred million speakers of Japanese, we might not need to fear Japanese language extinction. I guess this language, originated here in Japan, is very traditional in one way, but at the same time, it’s a deep language: meaning, flexible enough to accept words from foreign languages. Therefore, I think various wisdom are included in our Japanese language. Not only one, but wide varieties of them. At least, this language is part of the important “densho” in the world. Based on that, I would like to give thought to three key words:  “Biodiversity”, “CSR”, and “resilience”. I personally think, these are words brought here from foreign language. Biodiversity is short for “Biological Diversity”. “Biological diversity” was commonly used in the scientific field. Then, in 1980s, the contracted form “biodiversity” was coined by an American scientist. Again, the term was widely used basically in scientific field. Even in English, this word took time until it achieved widespread use. But thanks to the nuance of “biodiversity”, people deeply understood that all living creatures are supporting each other on this dynamic planet. In Japanese, the direct translation of “biodiversity” is being used. It sounds like a proper noun, like a word that shows relatively new, unfamiliar concept. But actually Japan has “the Basic Act on biodiversity”. Let’s look at the preamble of this paper. Human beings are living through enjoying benefits from biodiversity. Biodiversity thus serves as a basis of the survival of human beings.   In addition, and in fact it’s the important part: biodiversity, as the particular assets of each region,also supports the diversity of unique regional culture. Very well explained. This means, our lifestyle, festivals, traditional events, and clothings are part of biodiversity: the process of all creatures supporting one another. We learn, gain wisdom, and enjoy benefits from them, to add color to our life. Therefore, biodiversity in Japan might be something that adds spice to people’s lifestyle. Moreover, it might be the basis of Japanese people’s spirit. In other words, I might put it in a rather abstract way, that biodiversity is merely the “experience” and “imagination” for people like us, whom live in Japan.  For example, there is a phrase in Japanese that acknowledges the living organisms’ lives before having a meal. Yes, it’s “itadakimasu”. This phrase is to express gratitude for life, and for the nature that nurtured life. Another gratitude for all people’s labour of cultivating, delivering, and cooking, and for their wisdom. What’s more, eating together with your families and friends will make your meal even more tasty and enjoyable. So the final gratitude goes to families and friends around you. With just a single phrase of “itadakimasu”, we can expand our imagination. Something very unique to Japanese. Personally, I guess I can sum up this sophisticated concept by saying: it’s the “design of densho and joucho”.  The next is CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility. The first version of CSR was about coping with pollution. Then, it moved on to the version 2.0 focusing on marketing strategy. The next version 3.0 focused on contributing to the society while securing profit in their business field.  Now, it is the era of “Creating shared value”, or CSV. The current aim is to create value that can be shared with the society. It’s a term originally from the United States. But my logic is this: “No no, Japanese people have been advocating this since 100 years ago.” This man is Eiichi Shibusawa, an industrialist from Meiji era, who was actively involved in founding many companies. In his book, he advocated “the principle of harmony between morality and economy”. His main idea is this: “What makes the origin of wealth is humanity and ethics;  the wealth without righteous reason could not be eternal.” What I am trying to say here is, that his idea is about sustainability, and about CSV. Thus, I believe Japanese language has been adding color to people’s lifestyle with deep, rich expressions.  Same can be said for companies. The meaning of CSR might not be about specific division, or about business area, but rather about ethics and morals as a businessperson. It’s something that’s already in our mindset. I want to state that, the concept of CSR3.0 and CSV is, the standard equipment for businessperson. Finally, “resilience”. Examples of resilience might be, the ability of nature, society, computer software to bounce back. I think the time period needed for recovery and resistance or durability are also included in this concept. It has been said that the word “sustainability” is strongly connected with natural environment on earth, but some says it imposes an image of “development”. So it’s currently being said that, the word “resilience” is much more important for the earth. I want to think about this word, together with the reconstruction support of Tohoku. I am now involved in the Tohoku University Green Renaissance Project. Professors of Tohoku University Ecosystem Adaptability Global COE are the core contributor, supported by Ministry of Environment, municipalities and organizations. In this project, we are not just aiming to retrieve our long-held memories of our hometown, but we want to rebuild the region’s economy by utilizing technologies and wisdom of tomorrow, so that people can get a job and live a happy, rich life. We are discussing how to design such society.  Recently, the Reconstruction Agency designated this project as the New Tohoku Leading Model Project. Now that we got the national budget reserved for us, we can put our plans and projects forward. What we are treasuring the most is to face the nature from the front, and learn from each other. Tsunami, for example, crashes and stirs up the current nature, but actually creates a new chain of life and new ecosystems. To tell the truth, people of Tohoku knew that from the past. They accepted the fact, and decided to live there. Not dividing the nature and living by constructing a huge seawall, rather, people have always been together with nature, as living things. Lifestyle unique to Tohoku, elegant way of life, elegance of Japanese language. I believe these embodies the idea of resilience. CSR, biodiversity, resilience. These words imported from abroad might be giving us an opportunity to recall something we have forgotten during the period of high economic growth. We might be able to cast our view to the future, with the wisdom fostered in Japan. That is “densho of today”. Your experience of hearing stories from your grandpa or grandma, the good-old origami-lessons from them might be part of the “densho of today”, and the process of picking up what we have left behind from the era of high economic growth. Then let’s think: What is “densho of tomorrow”, or the narratives taking part in the future? Through “densho of today”, we became aware of many, and now we should be moving forward to narrating the wisdom to protect nature of the world, of the mother earth. I strongly believe that today, the cry for our narratives nurtured with our experiences and imaginations can be heard from all over the world. Especially, Tohoku is like a treasure box, filled with sparkling stories inside individual people’s heart. We want to narrate them to the world, but we will not be able to get across our messages in Japanese. Therefore, “translation skill” from Japanese to English, and “communication competence” to make ourselves heard will be highly valued. Just like “eitaiwa” (English communication competence), as opposed to “eikaiwa” (English conversation), we must think of how we should hand down the wisdom of Tohoku. And my main message is, I want everybody here to treasure your OWN unique story inside your heart.  What I have shared with you is MY personal story. Similarly, if every one of you could narrate your story, I think we can foster a great amount of happiness. In the company where I work, our motto is to each treasure our individuality, rather than to each be the same.  We believe that each person’s effort will become a seed for happiness, and will grow to become a rich and large society. Everyone raised up in Japan, is the narrator of tomorrow. That is what I think. Design of “densho” and “joucho”, the important role we have as being Japanese.  Rather, we might have the responsibility as being Japanese. That is, utilizing the wisdom fostered in such global, local, Japanese local, and Tohoku local society. The cry for new changes in our social system are being heard for decades. Yet, nothing has changed. Why? Perhaps the society, or the earth is waiting for you to take action. I believe in that. I believe that there are much more to do. Japan, is a developed country. It is an economic giant, with outstanding technology of high reputation. But at the same time, Japan is a country with a myriad of spiritual forces and creatures, it is a polytheism country, and a country of “densho”. There are more that can be done from this country, which is filled with wide varieties of wisdom, distinctive to each people. That is exactly what I mean by “design of densho and joucho”: my core message I shared with you today.

Thank you.

Society

Takeshi Hiroshige

Avoiding a “Secondary Disaster” Due to Recovery Plans:
Japanese Society from the Perspective of the Seawall Issue

Takeshi Hiroshige
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Waseda University

The nationwide issue of seawall plans

In the coastal areas ravaged by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, current consensus-building between the government-driven construction of giant seawalls and local residents calling for a review of these plans has become bogged down. This seawall issue is concerning massive public works projects into which about one trillion yen of taxes will be pumped, but it is also about the future shape of the coastline of a large portion of Japan, since the improvement policy will become the model of a countermeasure to a Nankai Trough earthquake. Viewed from these aspects, the problem goes beyond the disaster-stricken areas. Furthermore, considering this seawall issue also provides another major issue that needs to be addressed by post-disaster Japanese society.

The origin and problems of seawall plans

The problem stems from the Japanese government’s very broad post-disaster classification of tsunami into two sizes, “frequent tsunamis,” commonly called level 1 (L1) tsunamis, which occur roughly once every several decades to one hundred years plus several decades, and “maximum class tsunamis” like the one in 2011, commonly called level 2 (L2) tsunamis, which occur about once every one thousand years, and its notification to local governments on how to set the height of their seawalls to deal with L1 tsunamis.

Nevertheless, the planned seawall to defend against L1 tsunamis at Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture is a gigantic concrete wall with a maximum height of about 15 meters and a width of around 100 meters, extending several hundreds of meters along the seashore (Nakajima coast in Koizumi District.) As the plan became known, some residents, researchers and supporters have begun to voice a range of worries and concerns, such as its adverse effect on tourism and inshore fishing, reduced disaster awareness due to being unable to see the ocean, a decline in seaside lifestyle and culture, and its negative impact on the ecosystem.

Local communities and the seawall issue

Having listened to these voices, the government is making changes such as lowering the height in some places where they decide there are no assets behind the seawall that should be protected. But opinions on what should be protected vary even among fellow residents depending on where they live, how they make a living, and so on. Also, creating a pleasant community where people will want to live and visit in the future requires an overall perspective of what kind of town to build, including the use of land behind the seawall.

In this way, solutions to the seawall issue should address both urban planning and the future of local communities. Local residents would, under normal circumstances, discuss the future of their town thoroughly and decide the location, height, shape, and the like of a seawall taking into account the opinions of experts, neighboring communities, and other parties concerned. Not only is it the wrong way round for the government to unilaterally draw up blueprints for a seawall and then ask residents for their consent, it is also likely to harm personal relationships in the earthquake-hit region by creating intra-community conflict between supporters and opponents of the plan.

The seawall issue and the modern day

If we consider the direct damage caused by an earthquake as a “primary disaster,” we can call the above difficulties facing residents in a planned region a “secondary disaster” created by the process of recovery and restoration work. Behind this, we can see two very modern politico-economic ideologies, one-dimensional economism which disregards the real circumstances of communities and believes that prioritizing development leads to human happiness, and centralism which emphasizes top-down decision-making.

There is no doubt that, since World War Two, Japan has pursued economic growth while aiming for both a market economy founded on the principle of freedom and a welfare policy founded on the principle of equality, from which we have all reaped many benefits. The flip side of this is our social vulnerability, which has been exposed by the destruction of regional communities and the natural environment and especially when large-scale natural disasters have hit urban areas. Today, out of regret for this, volunteers guided by the principle of solidarity and mutually supportive local communities are expected to supplement the limitations of our government and the market. Looking at this historical course, it is easy to predict that seawall plans led either by a national government or a quake-hit local municipality with limited public finances will eventually become difficult to sustain and place an excessive burden on communities.

Setting up a committee by the national government

To resolve the seawall issue, therefore, it is important to create a forum led by residents and incorporating concerned parties to discuss, even at this late stage, a comprehensive future regional vision including seawalls. In fact, the Maehama District of Motoyoshi-cho, Kesennuma, an area buzzing with community activities since before the tsunami, decided at the end of this July to set up its own tsunami defense plan independently from government proposals.

Regarding the law, too, a revision of the Coast Act in June of this year has permitted the establishment of a committee to discuss coastal disaster prevention and mitigation measures if deemed necessary by the state minister in charge and prefectural governors. To strengthen national resilience, it is important before we build concrete walls to cultivate regional personal relations that will enable a more flexible response to disasters. If the new Abe cabinet inaugurated in September positions earthquake reconstruction and regional revitalization as priority issues for Japan, they should give positive consideration to setting up such a committee.

Photo 2: Planned site for seawall construction along the Nakajima coast in the Koizumi District of Motoyoshi-cho, Kesennuma (planned to be 14.7m above sea level)

Ein Tsunamirettungsturm am Meer in Kochi, der Platz für 400 Personen hat.

http://wakatake-machi.com/works-nakatosa-tower.html

中土佐町第１号津波避難タワー

南海トラフ巨大地震に備えて、どの方向から津波が来ても耐えられる円柱形の津波避難タワーを設計しました。この地域は文化的景観重要地区に指定されており、周囲の景観と調和するようなデザインにしました。避難階は２層になっており400人ほどが避難可能となっています。また、高齢者や障害者の方が利用しやすいように、らせん型のスロープや階段、避難ゴンドラを設置しており、全ての人が円滑に避難できるような設計になっています。 また、この津波避難タワーは普段は展望台としても利用することができます。近隣の人や観光客に普段から慣れ親しんでもらうことで、地震時に円滑に避難ができるようにしました。 ・避難階は、浸水深さ約７ｍの津波が来ても、3.7mの余裕がある高さ設定 ・太陽光発電による照明灯を設備 ・簡易トイレ、雨水利用の給水設備 ・防災倉庫、ヘリコプターによる救助スペースを設置 ・普段は展望台として利用可能

津波避難タワーの概要

外観	内観

• von Patrick Welter, Fukushima
• 16.10.2015, 17:52 Uhr

Im folgenden sind links zu den Grußworten, der Rede Naoto Kans und dem Interview zu finden:

Grußwort:

Sylvia Kotting-Uhl MdB, Bündnis90/Die Grünen, Berlin   –

Matthias Nass, Die Zeit, Berlin

Rede von Naoto Kan

Interview von Matthias Nass mt Naoto Kan

Bericht von Kan Naoto, ehemaliger Premierminister Japans in Berlin, Heinrich Böll Stiftung

Am 13.10.2015 stellte der ehemalige Premierminister Japans Kan Naoto seine Sicht der Geschehnisse vom 11.3. bis zum 16.3.2011 einer großen Zuhörerschaft dar.  Er beschreibt den nicht funktionierenden Nachrichtenweg von der Tepco Zentrale zum Büro des Ministeriums.

Prof. Dr. Frank Rövekamp, der das Buch von Kan Naoto ins Deutsche übersetzt hat, schreibt in dem Artikel:

Der Premierminister und der Atomunfall:

Zur Bewertung des Krisenmanagements von Naoto Kan während der Fukushima Atomkatastrophe

OAI-WP_Premierminister-Atomunfall_Roevekamp (1)

Premierminister Naoto Kan – und es gibt keinen Grund für die Annahme, dass es bei jeder anderen Person in diesem Amt nicht genauso gewesen wäre – sah sich also mit der folgenden Lage konfrontiert: Auf der einen Seite geriet der Atomunfall zunehmend außer Kontrolle und drohte das gesamte Land in eine katastrophale und existenzbedrohende Krise zu stürzen. Zuverlässige Informationen gab es jedoch nicht. Die maßgeblichen Institutionen für die Unfallbekämpfung, der Betreiber des Atomkraftwerks TEPCO und die Atomaufsichtsbehörde NISA, waren ihren Aufgaben in dieser Situation wenig bis gar nicht gewachsen. Schließlich gab es weder Vorerfahrungen noch irgendein Drehbuch, wie in einer solchen Lage zu verfahren sei. Und die ganze Welt schaute zu.

2.2 Drei Schlüsselereignisse

Unter diesen Rahmenbedingungen sollen nun drei Schlüsselereignisse während der Krise herangezogen werden, die das Bild vom Krisenmanagement Naoto Kans besonders geprägt haben: Die Inspektionsreise von Kan in das Atomkraftwerk am frühen Morgen des 12. März; die Diskussion über die Zuführung von Meerwasser in einen der Reaktoren am späten Nachmittag des 12. März; die Reaktionen auf den von TEPCO möglicherweise angedachten vollständigen Rückzug aller Mitarbeiter aus der Atomanlage am 15. März .

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/untersuchungsbericht-zu-fukushima-dann-verlieren-wir-auch-noch-tokio-1.1295626

28. Februar 2012, 18:26 Uhr

Untersuchungsbericht zu Fukushima-1

Panik, Verwirrung und Wutanfälle: Ein Untersuchungsbericht unabhängiger Experten zeigt, wie konfus die Kommunikation zwischen dem Fukushima-Betreiber und Japans Regierung war. Offenbar verhinderte erst das Eingreifen des damaligen Premiers Kan eine vollständige Evakuierung der Anlage – und damit noch schlimmere Folgen für das Land.

Die japanische Regierung hat nicht nur versucht, die Gefahr nach der Katastrophe im Atomkraftwerk Fukushima-1 in der Öffentlichkeit herunterzuspielen. Insgeheim war die Unsicherheit und Verwirrung unter den Verantwortlichen im März 2011 sogar so groß, dass selbst die Evakuierung Tokios erwogen wurde.

TEPCO’s workers stand near the crippled TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant ractor buildings in FukushimaBild vergrößern
Tepco-Mitarbeiter vor der zerstörten Atomanlage Fukushima-1. Nach der Katastrophe hatte der damalige japanische Premier Kan offenbar verhindert, dass das AKW vollständig evakuiert wurde. (Foto: REUTERS)
Das geht aus einem Bericht hervor, den ein unabhängiger japanischer Think-Tank diese Woche veröffentlichen wird, berichtet die New York Times.

Die Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation (RJIF) hatte im September 2011 eine Kommission zur Untersuchung des Nuklearunfalls in Fukushima-Daiichi eingerichtet, die anders als die Untersuchungskommission der Regierung unabhängig sein sollte. Das Gremium bestand aus 30 Experten. Die Wissenschaftler, Anwälte und Journalisten befragten mehr als 300 Personen, die mit der Katastrophe zu tun hatten, darunter Regierungsbeamte und sogar den damaligen Premierminister Naoto Kan.

Ihr Bericht belegt nun, wie konfus und teilweise sogar widersprüchlich die Informationen waren, die zwischen der Regierung, insbesondere Premier Kan, und der Führung des AKW-Betreibers Tepco und der Leitung der Atomanlage ausgetauscht wurden.

ANZEIGE

So hatte der Direktor des beschädigten Kernkraftwerks, Masao Yoshida, der Regierung versichert, er könne die Situation in den Griff bekommen, wenn seine Leute auf dem Gelände bleiben dürften. Wie der RJIF-Gründer Yoichi Funabashi der New York Times erklärte, versuchte gleichzeitig Tepcos Präsident Masataka Shimizu jedoch Premier Kan zu überzeugen, dass die Anlage vollständig evakuiert werden müsse.

Bei der Diskussion der möglichen Folgen kamen die Politiker schließlich zu einem Worst-Case-Szenario, bei dem ohne die Kühlmaßnahmen in Fukushima-1 (Daiichi) noch mehr Mengen strahlenden Materials in die Atmosphäre gelangen würde. Dies hätte die Evakuierung der benachbarten AKW Fukushima-2 (Daini) und Tokai notwendig gemacht – und dann dort möglicherweise zu Kernschmelzen geführt. Am Ende dieser „dämonischen Kettenreaktion“, so warnte dem Bericht zufolge der Leiter des Kabinettssekretariats, Yukio Edano, „wäre es die logische Schlussfolgerung gewesen, dass wir auch Tokio selbst verlieren würden“.

Premier Kan war schließlich wutentbrannt in die Tokioter Tepco-Zentrale gestürmt und hatte die Geschäftsführung angebrüllt, ein Rückzug sei undenkbar.

Geradezu Panik war der Kommission zufolge im Kabinett ausgebrochen, als den Politikern bewusst wurde, dass sich noch mehr als 10.000 abgebrannte, aber noch immer radioaktive Brennelemente in kaum geschützten Abklingbecken neben den zerstörten Reaktorblöcken befanden. Erst fünf Tage nach dem Erdbeben am 11. März zeigten Luftbilder, dass die Becken noch mit Wasser gefüllt waren. Nach Funabashis Einschätzung habe man den schlimmsten Fall gerade noch vermieden. Der Öffentlichkeit habe die Regierung dies jedoch verheimlicht, um einer Panik vorzubeugen.

Doch nicht einmal die engsten Verbündeten wie die USA wurden über die beängstigendsten Einschätzungen informiert, sagte der frühere Redakteur der Tageszeitung Asahi Shimbun der New York Times – und bestätigte so die Vermutung amerikanischer Experten. Erst vom 22. März an fanden dann tägliche Treffen von Vertretern beider Länder statt.

Der Bericht sei von historischer Bedeutung, erklärt Funabashi auf der Homepage seiner Organisation. Das Ziel der Kommission sei, zukünftigen Generationen die Lehren aus der Katastrophe zu vermitteln. Außerdem werde eine unabhängige Untersuchung des Umgangs der Regierung mit der Katastrophe helfen, die Überwachung der Verantwortlichen zu verbessern. Dies sei „essentiell für die Entwicklung einer gesunden Demokratie“, so Funabashi.

Denn die Katastrophe von Fukushima beleuchte nicht nur eine Regierungskrise, an der Unternehmen sowie verschiedene Behörden beteiligt waren. Er weist auch auf etwas Besonderes hin, „das dem Denken japanischer Bürger innewohnt“. Denn die Japaner gelten als relativ unkritisch gegenüber ihrer jeweiligen Regierung, öffentlichen Widerstand gegen die Politik gibt es kaum. Auch unabhängige Untersuchungen wie die von RJIF finden selten statt.

Zwar hatte die Regierung eine eigene Fukushima-Kommission eingesetzt. Diese stellte im Dezember ihren Bericht vor. Auch dort wurden Tepco und die Regierung heftig kritisiert. Doch die Experten hatten Tepco in einem Punkt in Schutz genommen: Premier Kan habe die Ankündigung von Tepco, Fukushima-1 zu evakuieren, falsch verstanden. Das Unternehmen hätte nur einen Teil der Belegschaft in Sicherheit bringen wollen.

Das aktuelle Papier der RJIF dagegen, für das fast alle an der Krise beteiligten Beamten befragt wurden, sagt nun etwas anderes. „Seine (Kans) Entscheidung, bei Tepco hineinzustürmen und zu verlangen, (Fukushima-1) nicht aufzugeben, hat Japan gerettet“, stellt Funabashi klar.